


She Who Holds the Future in Her Hands

by BigBadTardis



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Gen, Not Beta Read, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Season/Series 03, includes original characters, not angsty yet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:40:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 110,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22688638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BigBadTardis/pseuds/BigBadTardis
Summary: When Rose said “forever” she meant it, but now with the Doctor stuck on Pete’s world, Rose has to save the world in his place. After she saves the life of Donna Noble she makes that push and ends up meeting her own companions. Together they travel in the TARDIS saving whoever they come across. However, word has gotten out that the Doctor is gone. Some think that this might be their only chance to steal the TARDIS for themselves.Rose isn’t unarmed, though. She’s got friends (a unit scientist, a childhood friend, and so many more) and a trick up her sleeve. Bad Wolf did more than just bring Rose back to the Doctor. She’s left a few things behind too.Canon divergent. Some episodes won’t be written and will be replaced by my own ideas.Rating may to change later in the story (The Valiant will involve violence, I'll try to keep it as non graphic and nondescript as possible, but it may be triggering to some. The arc will have trigger warnings at the top of every chapter)
Relationships: Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Comments: 137
Kudos: 75





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first DW fanfic ever. Unfortunately I’ve never seen the original because I don’t have britbox, so everything I know about old DW is second hand knowledge from my mother. This was inspired by a fanfiction I cannot recall the title of, but when I do recall it I will credit it. I’ve only seen up to the end of series 5, so some of the information that I use may be wrong and I apologize. I’m only writing this to have fun, but I love constructive criticism as long as it’s not hateful. I also tried to make it kinda British because obviously Doctor Who is British, but I think I suck at it.
> 
> edit: while this note is staying up a lot of it isn't accurate anymore. I'm currently watching Doctor Who classic and have seen up to the end of series 8 of the new show.

No, no, no! This couldn’t be happening. This was wrong and broken. Every part of her body ached in sadness. Like a piece of her was missing and she could never get it back. The Doctor was gone forever in a parallel world with all of her family and Mickey. Mickey knew his way around the parallel world. At least he could help them all adjust, but good god, her mum was lost to her forever. She had her key to the TARDIS, but she didn’t know how to use it. Bad Wolf was done. Reduced to a shadow of herself. She barely even remembered it, but she knew. Bad Wolf led her to him. It led her to the Doctor again, who she loved. It led her to his regenerated self, who she might have loved even more. However, now the enigmatic Doctor left her forever. She hoped her mother wouldn’t kill him and cause him to regenerate. Rose gave a sad laugh as she sat on the floor of the TARDIS. A classic Jackie Tyler Smack. Tears streamed down her face. A noise came from the TARDIS. 

“Rose,” a voice whispered. The Doctor! Rose stood up frantically looking onto the console to try and figure out where it was coming from. The Doctor was calling her! He had to be! She couldn’t figure where. Something about the Doctor’s accent. It was from the north. It was him. Her first Doctor. The Doctor with big ears and blue eyes. The one with the face her mother slapped. They were the same person in theory. Same memories and experiences, but the Doctor had changed. He was just different and there was no reason to deny it. It was a fact of knowing him was knowing that he had changed, but that northern accent. God! She couldn’t believe she was hearing it again. It didn’t seem real. She looked behind her. There he was. Her Doctor in leather. It was a projection. Like when the Doctor sent her away when he tried facing the Daleks alone. 

“Rose, if you’re hearing this then we’ve been separated. I need you to come find me,” he said. The words were full of hope. They were addressed to her. _I need you to come find me_ . She wanted to. She wanted to rescue them all so badly. “I know you can do it. I’m going to help you through the whole thing,” his voice lowered at the end of his sentence. “I don’t want to wake you up, so I’m going to be a little quieter.” The tears weren’t just streaming anymore. This was crying with the force of Mt. Vesuvius erupting on Pompeii. This was when they were traveling together. _I know you can do it_. Hope filled her veins. The TARDIS played this for a reason. Maybe she could see them again. Not just the Doctor, but her family too. 

“Did you show this to me on purpose?” She asked the air. She knew the TARDIS had free will, but she didn’t have the same connection to the TARDIS that the Doctor had. What the two of them had was special. The Doctor had removed what looking into the Heart of the TARDIS had done to her, Rose knew it did something. Rose may have forgotten, but the TARDIS hadn’t. The lights inside the TARDIS blinked. 

“Do you think I can do it?” The lights blinked again. Ok, hopefully that was a yes. Rose could barely believe what had gotten her to this point. After the Doctor got sent to the parallel world it all just sort of went fuzzy. The next thing clear to her was that she was on the TARDIS alone without the Doctor. 

“Rose, I have an older sonic device set aside for you. It’s calibrated to find my signature and can’t do much else,” the leather clad Doctor called. “But if I’m lost then you’re going to need it.” Rose took a deep breath and calmed herself down. It was time to find the Doctor. Rose didn’t care that it was technically impossible. If she didn’t try then she would always regret it. The sonic device. A broken and old sonic screwdriver. It came up from underneath the console. Rose grabbed it and examined the old thing.

“Good,” the younger Doctor said. “Now I want you to turn the head of the sonic screwdriver and scan the console. It’ll do what you want.” Rose followed his instructions. The TARDIS started doing something, but Rose didn’t understand what. The TARDIS was telepathic. It knew what Rose wanted. If only Rose could talk to it! If they could only understand each other. The TARDIS’ lights flickered. An idea flashed in her head. The TARDIS was searching for the weakest parts of the dimensional barriers. The TARDIS was going as fast as she could go. The walls were getting thicker and thicker as Rose stood there. 

“Can I do anything more?” The lights flickered again. One shone on the phone. Rose’s eyes widened and started dialing any number that might get her to the Doctor. Her mum’s, Mickey’s, she didn’t know her dad’s, but she kept trying. She left voicemails. She didn’t care that those numbers were for them on earth, she was the Bad Wolf, she had to get through.

_I am the Bad Wolf, I create myself._

Rose knew what to say. Just two words. She left it over and over. Bad Wolf. It would reach someone. It had to. The TARDIS shifted directions rapidly. Rose doubled over onto the ground. She reached around for a railing. She grabbed onto part of the console. She was in for a bumpy ride. Eventually Rose could feel it. The TARDIS had stopped in mid air. It hadn’t landed, but it was approaching something. Rose peeked out the door. They were nearing a dying star. 

“Will my message get across now?” The lights flickered. Rose dialed her mum again. She hoped her mum had managed to get the same number. She could hear the ringing. Come on, come on, come on! It continued to ring, but right before Rose was about to hang up _someone picked up_.

 _“Who’s callin’ me at THREE IN THE MORNING!”_ God, it was her, that was her mum. Good, old Jackie Tyler. Well, Rose would never call her mother old, to her face.

“Mum?” Rose heard a gasp on the phone.

_“Rose!”_

“Mum, it’s me!”

 _“Rose! Is it you? Really you?”_ The tears started falling again. Her mum was on the phone with her. Rose never thought this day would come again. 

“Yeah,” she said. The salty tears made their way to the very corners of her mouth. “I’m here. I’m here with you.”

 _“Doctor! Wake up! Rose is on the phone!”_ Rose heard shuffling in the background. Running. Someone was running. Was that him? Was it the Doctor?

 _“Rose,”_ a sorrowful voice that wasn’t her mother’s called. The Doctor! _“How are you doing this? Is that really you?”_

“Doctor! The TARDIS! She helped me! And so did you!” 

_“Me?”_ He asked, incredulously.

“Your previous self, do you remember? You recorded a bunch of projections. Like Emergency Programme One. He and TARDIS led me right to you.” The Doctor let out a laugh in disbelief. 

_“Of course, I did, I’m brilliant,”_ he said in a quiet and reassuring way. _“How long can we keep this up?”_ He asked. 

“I dunno,” Rose said. “We’re rotating around a dying star, so until it dies I s’pose.” Rose choked back a sob. It was like his voice was taunting her. She missed him so much. She just wanted to see his face, but she didn’t know how to do that. 

_“Rose,”_ he said.

“Doctor,” she replied. “I miss you. Is there really no way I can’t come get you?”

_“We’d lose both universes.”_

“I don’t care!” The harshness of her voice shocked her, but it was how she felt. “I’m all alone! To hell with any other universe for that matter! I can’t be alone!”

_“Rose, I want you to be safe. Nothing else matters to me except your safety.”_

“Don’t say that!” Rose paused. “Promise me you’ll find your way back to me! This world needs you! I need you! I love you, Doctor!”

 _“Ok,”_ the Doctor relented. _“Rose, I will find my way back to you, but if I can’t, I need to tell you this. In case it’s my only chance. Rose Tyler,”_ his voice cut off. Rose dropped the phone. He was gone. Rose let out the sob she held deep in her chest. Rose gave out a piercing scream. She told him everything. She loved him and he knew that now. He may have known before, but she needed to say it herself. What was he going to say? She would never know. Maybe it was better that way. He could never tell her he didn’t feel the same way. Would the Doctor really try and come back for her? The Doctor was brilliant, but he wouldn’t risk two universes to see her again. As much as she wanted to believe he would. A strange noise came from the TARDIS. Rose had never heard it before. 

“What is going on!” A female voice called from the front of the TARDIS. She had red hair and was in a wedding dress. “Where am I?”


	2. The Runaway Bride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose meets Donna Noble and goes through The Runaway Bride. Will she ever survive her first adventure without the Doctor?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little president's day gift for my fellow Americans.

Rose wasn’t sure what was going on. The woman in the wedding dress looked down at Rose. She looked about ready to shout, but when she saw her face she deflated. 

“Are you alright?” The woman asked. “Were you also plucked away?” Rose shook her head. 

“H-how did you get here?” Rose asked. The woman frowned. 

“I don’t know! I was just walking down the aisle! How did you get here?” Rose bit her lip and looked off to the side. She just lost the Doctor and now she had to figure out how to get this woman home. She was getting married, for god’s sake. At least they were from the same country. Rose had only been to America once or twice and they weren’t good experiences. She met her first Dalek there. Utah, 2012. 

“I-I,” she stuttered, “I live here.” Any sympathy Donna may have had was gone in an instant. 

“You kidnapped me!” Rose shook her head. She didn’t need this right now. She just lost everything and now she had to deal with a screaming older woman (well, not that old, but older than her) telling her she was kidnapped. 

“I don’t know how you got here, but let’s just try and get you back,” Rose said, somberly. 

“Try?! I am getting married!” She looked at her watch. “Right now!” The red haired woman frowned, she looked around the TARDIS in disbelief. “What is this place?” She asked. Rose wiped her dried tears off with her wrist. 

“You’re on my friend’s spaceship.” The woman scoffed. 

“Spaceship! I’ll believe it when I see it!” She marched over to the doors while Rose protested. She pushed open a door and she saw it all. They were in space just outside a dead star. “Oh my word! We’re in space!” Rose raced over and closed the doors. 

“Told ya,” she leaned back onto the doors and slid to the ground. She flattened her lips into a thin line and stared off at the console. She had no more tears left in her eyes. She cried herself out. The woman knelt down to Rose’s level. The harsh look on her face faded.

“Are you ok? You mentioned this was your friend’s spaceship, where are they?” She asked. 

“Gone,” Rose said, all too quickly. “He’s gone. It’s just me and the TARDIS now.”

“TARDIS?” She asked. 

“Time and Relative Dimension in Space. I’m Rose Tyler, what about you?” 

“Donna, Donna Noble.” Donna extended a hand to Rose. Rose let out a sigh and let Donna help her up.

“I don’t know how to use the TARDIS, what I do know is very limited.” Rose turned to the console. “I don’t suppose he left any instructions?” She asked. The projection of the Doctor reappeared. Rose sighed in relief. 

“That’s a man!” Rose nodded. She ran her hand through her hair and moved towards the console.

“He’s not really here, it’s a hologram. Just ignore us while we try to get you home.” Donna frowned but acknowledged Rose’s request. She occasionally asked questions while the Doctor was guiding Rose on how to get Donna back to her wedding. 

“Why do you live in a spaceship?”  
“Why not?” _I have nowhere else to go._

“How long have you been doing this?”

“2005.”  _ It feels like forever.  _

“Where are your parents?” Rose hesitated to answer, but she relented. 

“Gone.”  _ My mum is in a parallel universe with a version of my dad that I barely know. _

“I’m sorry,” Donna said. Rose bit her lip and pulled the last lever to get Donna back to her wedding. 

“It’s not your fault. Now, where are you getting married.”

“St. Mary’s, it’s in Chiswick, London.” 

“Got it,” Rose said, “Now prepare for your first trip through space. I’m new to this so you might want to get a hold of something!” Then they took off. The TARDIS zipped through space and time. Rose crossed her fingers that they wouldn’t crash. Rose didn’t know how to fix the TARDIS if she broke. Rose turned to Donna.

“How did you manage to get on board?” Rose asked. Donna shook her head. 

“I was walking down the aisle and all of a sudden I’m disappearing into light and I appear here. Rose put her hand on her chin and pondered. 

“I’ve never heard of someone being able to appear on the TARDIS mid flight. Maybe we should get you scanned or something. You could be sick or are you,” Rose motioned to the projection of the Doctor. “An alien?” Donna looked very offended by the idea. 

“I am not a martian! Is he?” Rose shook her head.

“He’s not from Mars. He is an alien though,” she added. 

“Well, duh, he’s an alien! He’s a hologram!” Rose didn’t respond. 

“Let’s go.” Rose and Donna set out into the world and instead of finding St. Mary’s they found a house that none of them had seen before. The door opened and a woman even older than Donna came out. Rose gasped. 

“Sarah Jane! It’s you!” What a sight for sore eyes. Rose ran from the TARDIS into Sarah Jane’s motherly arms. 

“Rose! It’s good to see you! Ever since Canary Wharf I’ve been worried. Where’s the Doctor?” Rose shook her head. 

“It’s just me, I’ll explain everything later, but right now I have a friend who needs help d’you mind taking a look at her? Cos I don’t know how.” Sarah Jane nodded and Rose dragged Donna by the arm inside. 

“But I thought you said you would take me to get married!”

“You can call your family inside. Don’t worry!” Sarah Jane said, opening the door. “Rose needs a break, look at her,” Sarah Jane motioned to Rose’s sorry state. Donna frowned, but nodded. 

“You’re right. Can I see your mobile?” Sarah Jane handed Donna her mobile phone and she dialed the number inside. Sarah Jane moved Rose over to her sofa and grasped her hands. 

“Tell me what happened.” Sarah Jane looked at Rose kindly. Motherly even, Rose didn’t hesitate to pour her entire heart out to Sarah Jane. 

“He saved my life. The Daleks were falling into this void and he had to do something with the lever. I can barely remember it’s so shocking. My father from an alternate universe saved him, but now he’s stuck in his world with my mum. The walls have closed forever and we’re separated.” Rose let out a gasp and Sarah Jane wrapped her up in a hug. “I’m all alone now, Sarah Jane. Everyone I love is gone. I don’t even have a home anymore and I barely know how to use the TARDIS!”

“I’m so sorry, Rose,” Sarah Jane comforted. “Do you want to stay here in the meantime?” Rose shrugged mid hug and pulled away. 

“I’m most likely going to stay in the TARDIS, but can I park somewhere close?” Sarah Jane nodded.

“Don’t worry, do you want to get a shower here?” Sarah Jane asked. Rose shook her head. 

“As much as I would like one, I feel like Donna needs my full attention right now. She just appeared on the TARDIS when I was in the middle of nowhere. Something feels very wrong.” Sarah Jane paled. She nodded and stood up.

“Donna, dear! I’m going to need to do some scans if you don’t mind!” She shouted. Donna motioned to her phone call and held up a hand. Five minutes. 

“I told you! I don’t know what happened! But I ran into this hurt girl and now I’m giving her a hand. I’m trynna get back in time, but ya know I don’t have a TIME MACHINE!” Rose nearly snickered, but she was depleted of any happy energy. Rose stood up and dusted herself off. Sarah Jane looked Rose up and down. Rose had been wearing the same clothes she was wearing since Canary Wharf. Changing out of them had meant that she was saying goodbye forever. 

“Rose,” Sarah Jane said quietly. “Do you want me to get you some fresh clothes?” Rose nodded. She wanted that bloody shower so bad. Donna scowled and closed the phone. 

“I can’t believe I’m missing my own wedding!” Sarah Jane went to go get Rose new clothes. 

“We’ll get you scanned as soon as I get back.” Sarah Jane disappeared into her bedroom. A knock appeared at the door. Rose glanced at Donna.

“Did you tell anyone where you are?” Donna shook her head.

“Didn’t say a thing,” she replied. 

“Sarah Jane? Are you expecting anyone?” Rose asked, loudly. No response. Rose crept to the door and got a peek of who was knocking. Rose paled as soon as she saw the Santa Claus masks. 

“Donna, we gotta run!” 

“What? Why?”

“Just run!” Rose scanned Sarah Jane’s home looking for another exit. The windows appeared to have no one near them. Rose grabbed Donna’s wrist and tugged her over to the windows. 

“It’s just Santa! What’s wrong?” Rose looked for the opening to the windows and lifted them up. Rose climbed out the window and reached her hand out.

“Trust me! I have to get you out of here!” Donna looked down at Rose suspiciously. 

“What about your friend? Did he trust you?” Rose nodded. 

“We trusted each other. I trusted him especially! Now please! Trust me like I did to him!” Donna nodded and let Rose help her out the window. 

“Rose?” Sarah Jane called from inside the house. 

“Sorry, Sarah Jane!” Rose shouted back as she and Donna made a mad dash to the TARDIS. The Santa’s had large guns trained onto Donna. Rose frowned when she realized the pattern. The pair made it to the TARDIS, but Rose had locked the door and had to fiddle with her key. 

“Hurry up!” Donna clamored. Rose still struggled to get the door open and when she finally heard the click of the lock opening she sighed in relief. She and Donna made it into the TARDIS and Rose slammed the doors behind them. Donna needed to catch her breath more than Rose did, but she was pretty depleted from any energy. 

“We didn’t get to scan you!” Rose realized. She bit her lip and groaned. “Let’s just get you to your wedding, for real this time.” 

“Great, as soon as we escape the killer Santas.” She put extra emphasis on the end of Santas. Rose moved to the console of the TARDIS and tried to input the coordinates again. 

“Donna,” Rose was cut off by banging on the TARDIS doors. “What day is your wedding?” 

“Huh? Today, December 24th.” Rose’s eyes widened. It had been that long since Canary Wharf. Technically it had been a day or so, but in “real life” it had been months. The world had moved on. It was Christmas Eve and Rose had no one to spend it with. 

“You wanted to get married on Christmas?”

“Oi! It’s none of your business.” Rose rolled her eyes as she redid the information and hoped that the TARDIS would get it right the second time. The TARDIS whirled through the air and they hopefully made it to St. Mary’s. Donna opened the doors and frowned. “We’re at the reception hall.” Rose frowned, she was closer, but she still couldn’t land the TARDIS in the right place. “Sad, no one got to enjoy my amazing reception.” Faint music peeked out when someone exited the building.

“Why do I hear music?” Rose asked. Donna reddened with anger and marched to the reception. She opened the doors angrily and scanned the room for her fiance. 

“You had the reception without me!” She screamed. A black man around Donna’s age spoke up just as Rose made it to the hall.

“Everything was already paid for!” Donna scoffed and looked to Rose with a look of disbelief. 

“Can you believe this? I tell them I’m helping a sick orphan and they just have the reception!” Rose’s brow furrowed. She wasn’t a sick orphan. Well… in a way, Rose supposed she was a sick orphan, but that was only on a technicality. She was definitely tired and perhaps soon she would catch something, but Rose didn’t feel like a sick orphan.

“How were we supposed to believe you?” A nasty looking blonde woman said. “You’ve pulled stunts before.” Donna stared the woman down. She put her hands on her waist.

“Well, my hurt orphan is right here!” She said as she motioned to Rose with her hands. Rose gave the crowd a slight wave. “Nerys!” She added. Rose didn’t know the history between Nerys and Donna, but she could tell it was bitter just from the fact that she singled her out like that. Besides who would name their child Nerys? Sounded like her parents hated her, but Rose couldn’t be sure. “I can’t believe you had the reception without me! I was literally helping a sick orphan!”

“She doesn’t look sick,” Rose heard someone say. Rose coughed into her arms a bit and Donna looked around with a quivering lip. Tears came from her mouth and Donna’s fiance (the black man) came forward to hug her. The crowd gave an aww and Rose could’ve sworn that she saw Donna wink at her. Donna broke away from the hug. 

“I still need to get Rose over here to the hospital. Don’t wait up! And stop having the reception!” Donna exclaimed. Rose’s stomach growled. She was so hungry. She wished she didn’t have to deal with whatever was afflicting Donna, so she could just eat and get a shower. Rose looked to the food over by the bar. She moved closer to Donna as her stomach grumbled again.

“‘M about to pass out, lemme get a bite to eat first.” Donna looked somewhat disappointed for some reason. Rose thought Donna would’ve been excited to be with her fiance for just a little longer, but she didn’t seem like it. Rose made her way to the little finger foods. She grabbed as much as she could fit in her hands. She was starving. Rose didn’t care if anyone was going to stare at her. She shoved it all in her mouth and moaned when she felt the dull ache in her stomach fade. Donna had disappeared from her wedding basically into thin air. Rose had to investigate this. Rose turned to a guest.

“Didyaseewhathappened?” Rose asked with a full mouth. The guest had thin black eyebrows, green eyes, and a bird nose. He nodded with a roll of his eyes. Rose fully swallowed her food. “Do you know if there’s a recording I could take a peek at?” He motioned to a young man with a camera. Rose flagged him down like a taxi. She made him show her the recording and she watched exactly what Donna described happen. The golden light reminded Rose of something, but she didn’t know what. A tear started to form in her left eye. She promptly wiped the tear, frowned, and ran back to Donna. Right before she saw the couple pinstripes caught her eye. Rose looked for the suit, but she didn’t see him.  _ Of course the Doctor isn’t here, what was I thinking? _ Rose found the pair. Who was dancing with her fiance happily. There was the Donna that Rose expected. Happy with a fiance. 

“Donna! We have to go get you scanned! I saw the video and it’s not good!” Donna looked at Rose with an expression that showed she no longer cared. 

“Rose, maybe it actually doesn’t matter? I’m here with Lance.” All of a sudden Rose realized her mistake. There were Christmas trees everywhere. Christmas trees and those St Nick’s. Father Christmas’s to kill. Memories flooded back to when she first re-met the Doctor. The Doctor that had a habit of rambling on and on. He had changed and Rose wasn’t used to the new him, but she loved him nonetheless. She remembered how she had to protect him from the Christmas Trees and the men in masks. The pilot fish. They were a sign of something bigger to come. Screw the Sycorax. Rose wasn’t the person she was a year ago, but she still wasn’t the Doctor. The parallel wasn’t lost on Rose that again she had to protect a semi helpless person with no help from the Doctor. Except she didn’t have her mum and Mickey to help her.  _ She missed the Doctor so much. _

“Get away from the trees!” Rose shouted. Ornaments flew off the trees and Rose tackled Donna. Rose heard screaming and small explosions. Rose grabbed Donna and Lance and ran out of the reception hall. Something bad was going on and Rose needed to fix it. It was her duty. They were after Donna and she needed to figure out why. 

“Rose! Why are we leaving them! People are hurt!” Rose looked back to Donna. A frown graced all of their faces. ‘Cept Lance, he just looked confused. 

“Donna, what am I supposed to do? I’m just a 21-year-old with no A-levels! I can’t save those people, but I can save you!” The trio turned a corner and found it blocked off by black cars. Rose turned her head in confusion. This wasn’t good. Ever since Harriet Jones ordered the shooting down of the Sycorax the Doctor had a mistrust of “suits” and Rose supposed it imprinted on her. However, it would’ve been really good to see Harriet again. A passenger door opened up simultaneously and out came You-Know-Who. Harriet Jones came out of the black cars. She wasn’t prime minister anymore, but she still had power. She must’ve been working for UNIT. Rose hoped it was UNIT and not Torchwood. Rose shuddered slightly. Harriet Jones ran to hug Rose.

“Rose Tyler! My dear child!” Rose let go of Lance and Donna and let Harrie _ t  _ Jones scoop her up in a motherly hug. A tear pricked at Rose’s left eye, but she blinked it away. _ Again with the left eye _ . “I know what happened and I’m here to help.” 

“Really?” Rose asked. Harriet Jones broke the hug and looked at Donna. 

“I’m sorry about the Doctor,” Harriet said. “Don’t ask how I knew to help you, but I’m here. Tell me what you need and we’ll get it sorted.” Rose nodded and looked back to Rose and Donna. Donna gaped and Lance had to close Donna’s mouth.

“You know the former Prime Minister?” Lance asked. Rose nodded shyly. 

“Saved the world together back in 06.” Then Lance gaped. Harriet Jones welcomed them into a car with her. Then they sped along the road to UNIT headquarters. Rose let out a big sigh when she realized something. 

“I left the TARDIS back at the reception hall! And I can’t exactly call it on command! She’s gonna be so mad that I left her!” Harriet Jones looked back at Rose with a reassuring smile. She knew more than she was saying, but she wasn’t sure that Harriet was going to divulge any information so easily. She was a very professional woman. 

“Don’t worry, Rose, my driver Lucy will whip you back as soon as we do all the tests on Miss Noble.” The driver smirked. She had thick, but groomed eyebrows and dark hair combed back slickly into a bun. She looked to be of Indian descent, but Rose wasn’t sure how much. She had a nose piercing and the perfect winged eyeliner. She looked like she had her life together. 

“Don’t worry, Miss Tyler,” she said, “I’m a great driver.” Then the group then arrived at UNIT and ran tests on Donna. Rose put a close eye on Lance. He stepped out for a phone call. 

“I don’t suppose you know how to fix a sonic screwdriver?” Rose asked Harriet. She smiled and nodded. 

“We’ll do you one better,” Harriet snapped her fingers and a man carrying a briefcase. He handed Rose “the package” and when she opened it her eyes started watering. It was a sonic screwdriver and psychic paper. 

“How did you get these?”

“Nevermind that, UNIT has worked closely with the Doctor for a very long time. These are a gift for you. Someone has to pick up where he’s left off.” Rose shook her head.

“I can’t accept this. I’m not the Doctor. Besides,” Rose sniffed. “He’s coming back, I know it.” Harriet Jones looked at Rose with sorrow in her eyes. “I can’t pretend to be him.”

“Rose, I miss the Doctor too, but the universe needs the Doctor and you’re the closest thing we’ve got to one. Just promise me you’ll think about it?” She said.

“Ok, I’ll think about it,” Rose said quietly. “But I can’t accept these.” Rose held up her sonic device that the Doctor gave her. “Could you fix what I have? It was a gift from the Doctor.” Harriet Jones nodded and within minutes she had her sonic device fixed up. Rose really wasn’t sure what it was. She was pretty sure it was a sonic screwdriver, but she wasn’t a Time Lady. Lance came back and Donna was done with the tests. Everything was hopefully coming together. 

“So, your test results came back negative for almost everything. Almost everything. It’s really old and we had to check the books, but we’ve discovered something. Huon particles, but we’ve only got the name.” 

“The TARDIS would know!” Lance clapped his hands together. A terrified smile on his face.

“I remember something like that back at the office! In the boss’ office!” Rose tilted her head. How did he know that?

“Lance is head of HR,” Donna chimed in. She looked at Lance happily. Rose planted her lips in a firm line. 

“I suppose we have to get to…” Rose stopped and whispered to Donna. “Where do you work?”

“HC Clements.”

“HC Clements! And figure out how these Huon particles got in Donna!” Lucy let Rose sit up front in the car and Lance and Donna sat in the back. They drove as fast as they could to HC Clements. Lucy drove like a madwoman, but they got there safely. HC Clements was so corporate and stuffy. Rose was so thankful for the Doctor in that moment because now she never had to work again. Rose didn’t know how Donna could handle such a stuffy environment.

“How did you meet Lance?” Rose asked. 

“I’m a temp! He brought me coffee every day. After that he just begged to marry me.” Rose glanced back to Lance who was rolling his eyes. That clearly wasn’t the story. Or wasn’t at least the whole story. Rose made her way to the lift where she spotted the floor below the last floor. 

“Were you aware this floor existed?” Lance nodded.

“Yeah, but it’s got a key. You won’t be able to get in.” Rose channeled the Doctor.

“I don’t need a key.” She grabbed her sonic screwdriver and turned it on the keyhole. The lift opened and Rose smirked.  _ Thank you, Doctor. _ She motioned for everyone to join her. “Don’t be a coward, Lance,” Rose said, as she saw Donna enter and Lance stay behind. 

“Lance!” Donna shouted. Lance bit his lip and ran into the lift and then they went down. The farther they descended the more Rose’s stomach fell. She was descending into the belly of the beast with no Doctor. She couldn’t regenerate like him if she died that was that. No second chances. Rose supposed that no one would miss her if she passed. Well, Sarah Jane would and so would Harriet Jones, but they would move on. Everyone she ever loved was gone. Another tear pricked at her left eye. Rose wiped away the tear and let out a breath. As Shareen always said, “Worry about that tomorrow”. Rose gasped.  _ Shareen _ . Rose hadn’t even thought about Shareen. Her best mate from school. Blimey, Rose had basically been ignoring her ever since she met the Doctor. What was her reaction when she found out about her mum? Rose was technically missing ever since Canary Wharf. Her mum must’ve had a funeral. What about Rose? What if she was legally dead? Sarah Jane didn’t think she was dead. Her home must’ve been gone now. What happened to their stuff?

“Rose?” Donna snapped her out of her thoughts. “Are you alright?” Rose nodded.

“I’m fine, let’s just see what’s down here.” The lift made it down to below the basement. They were below ground in a stinky bunch of tunnels. Rose frowned and scrunched her nose. Times like this she would’ve made a sly comment to the Doctor, but Rose didn’t feel comfortable quipping to Donna and Lance. 

“Are we going to have to walk?” Donna asked. Rose scanned the tunnels for any mode of transport. She did not want to walk with Donna and Lance bickering about him not wanting to come. Were those segways? Rose had only seen those in movies. American teen flicks. The trio sped on the segways in the tunnels. Rose wasn’t sure what they were going to find, but she was sure it wasn’t good. As long as it wasn’t involving insects she would be fine. Rose hated bugs with almost every fiber of her being. When she was little she had a memory of spiders and other bugs crawling all over her. Her mum said it never happened, but Rose was sure she was lying. They came across a clearing and there she found bottles and cylinders of some liquid.

“These must be Huon particles. Why in liquid form and how did all of this stuff get here?” 

“It used to be owned by Torchwood,” Lance said. Rose paled. Torchwood. Of course it was Torchwood. 

“Used to be?” Rose looked around more and spotted a giant hole! Rose knelt down in front of it and threw something she had in her pockets. She couldn’t hear it hit the ground. 

“It goes to the centre of the earth!” The lights in the drilling site lit up bright and there Rose’s worst fear ever. It was a giant spider woman! Rose screamed and nearly fell into the hole. Donna grabbed Rose and pulled her farther from the edge. She smirked down at the trio. “I’m glad you're all here! It’s nice to meet you, I mean  _ eat _ you!” Rose just frowned. She tried to resist the urge to quip, but she would’ve been ignoring the Doctor’s legacy. Rose just had to comment. 

“That was really bad. Who writes your jokes?” The spider woman frowned and hissed at Rose. 

“You will go first!” The pilot fish appeared and blocked off all exits. They were trapped underground. There was a hatchet close to the wall. The spider lady didn’t seem to look at Lance very much. Donna noticed that as well and she slightly tapped Lance on the arm. He got the message. Now Rose just had to distract the spider. 

“What’s your plan?” Rose asked. “If I’m getting eaten first I feel like I’m entitled to know what I’m dying for.” The spider woman crossed her arms. 

“We are the Racnoss,” she said with narrowed eyes. 

“Never heard of ya,” Rose replied. The Racnoss snarled at Rose.

“Of course not, you filthy human! We were decimated during the beginning of the universe by the Time Lords!” Rose’s eyes widened. Lance was getting closer to the Racnoss. 

“No seriously! I’ve been all around the universe! I swear, there’s no mention of the Raknus!” 

“Racnoss!” Rose realized that she was shaking. She hated spiders so much. “I am the Empress of the Racnoss. My children were born starving! It’s not our fault! But the Time Lords thought that constituted our demise!” Rose was sure that wasn’t the only story, but she was only human. She didn’t know what the Time Lords got up to before their deaths. Lance was inching closer and closer to the Empress with the axe. Rose looked up. A tear fell from her left eye. 

“What did old HC Clements wear?” Rose asked. 

“Always looked fancy. We called him the fat cat in spades.” Rose pointed to the feet poking out from the ceiling. Donna gasped. 

“Oi! Listen lady! You told Rose who you are! So tell me! Where do I fit in with this? With these Huon particles? Look at me!” Donna said keeping the Racnoss attention. “I said look at me!”

“How feisty!” The Empress said. 

“That’s right! I am feisty! I really don’t know what you are! You big thing! But a spider is still a spider and an ax is still an ax!” Lance swung with the axe, but it didn’t hit the Racnoss. Rose’s brow furrowed. “What are you doing?” Donna yelled. “Strike her down!” Lance started to laugh as did the Racnoss. 

“Lance is funny!” 

“Lance? What are you doing?” Donna asked. Rose realized what was happening and gasped. 

“Oh my god, Donna, I’m so sorry. I really am.” 

“What for?” Lance made a mean face at Donna.

“God! She is thick!”

“What?” Lance rolled his eyes and the Racnoss laughed. 

“I’ve had to deal with her for months! 6 months!” Rose’s eye started watering heavily. What was up with her left eye? All of a sudden a shooting pain appeared behind her left eye. Rose pressed her palm to her eye and gasped. 

“Rose?” Donna asked. “Rose, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t know, my eye is killing me.” Rose took her hand off her eye and Donna gasped. 

“Your eye is glowing.” The pain grew worse and her vision went white. Things started to make sense in her mind and she realized what she had missed. 

“Donna! Call for the TARDIS!” She shouted. 

“TARDIS?” Donna started glowing and Rose watched as the TARDIS appeared. Rose grabbed her key and unlocked the door quickly. Donna chased after her and they escaped the wrath of the Racnoss. Rose shut the doors of the TARDIS quickly and the pair heaved. Rose ran to the console and just flew as best she could. Her eye had stopped hurting except for some residual pain, but luckily the feelings she experienced remained. She knew how to get to their destination. The beginning of the Earth. 

“Rose, what was that?” Rose shook her head and held up her hand. Signifying that she didn’t want to talk about it. 

“I’m so sorry about Lance.” Donna hmphed and folded her arms. 

“I don’t believe it! He’s just under mind control or something. He brought me coffee every day. Every single day for 6 months! He was the head of HR. Why would he do that unless he loved me?” Rose shook her head and opened the doors to the TARDIS. 

“The Racnoss are born hungry. They needed Huon particles, and it seems Torchwood was able to create their own in liquid form. Which Lance served you in the coffee.” Donna was about to cry when she noticed what was outside. 

“What’s that?” Rose gave Donna a weak smile. 

“The beginning of the Earth. The Doctor actually took me to the end of the Earth on our first outing. Funny how things work out like that.”

“Why are we here?” Rose then explained what she had managed to put together. 

“The Racnoss are an old species and something told me that we needed to be here. Also, I finally figured out what those Huon particles are.”

“Well, what then?”

“They’re like time energy, I think, I know I’ve seen them before. There are some in the TARDIS, I saw them when I saw her heart a while ago.”

“Rose, does that have anything to do with your glowing eye? I thought you were a human.”

“I have no idea. It never happened before today and I am human, at least I think I am. Is it still glowing?” Donna shook her head. “But the TARDIS and the Huon are connected. That’s how you got here in the TARDIS for the first time.” 

“What’s that?” Donna asked as she pointed to the center of the rocks floating in space. It was the first rock. Rose squinted and realized why there was a hole to the center of the Earth where the Empress of the Racnoss was. 

“That's a Racnoss ship. It’s where the rest of her species is. By feeding a Huon filled human to the” Rose retched thinking about it. “She’s gonna feed us to her children.” Suddenly Rose and Donna felt a pull. 

“What’s going on?” 

“I’m not sure! Nothing else came when my eye glowed!” All of a sudden they were back. Back in 2007 with the Racnoss and the evil fiance. Rose and Donna were back in the time where Rose’s entire family was gone. 

“Come on out!” The Empress hissed. “Best not prolong your death!” 

“Donna!” It was Lance. “Please help me!” Donna paled and she ran to the doors. Rose grabbed her hand. 

“Please don’t go out there!” 

“Lance needs me!”

“He tried to kill you!” Rose pleaded. She wasn’t going to let Donna make a mistake that would kill her. Rose wasn’t about to lose anyone else. “He wanted you to be eaten by a giant spider! He poisoned you for months!” Rose yelled. Donna looked down at Rose. 

“I love him, you wouldn’t understand,” Donna said. It cut Rose deeply and in her shock she let go of Donna. Donna ran out of the TARDIS and Rose gasped in sadness. Rose did understand love. She loved the Doctor more than anything in her heart. The Doctor wouldn’t let Donna die and he certainly wouldn’t let the Racnoss come back and eat everyone on Earth. The Racnoss were born hungry and they were hungry for people. Rose would not let that happen. It was time for Rose to make a hard choice. Could she really kill an entire species? No, but Rose had to try. It was her species or the Racnoss. Donna started screaming and Rose knew what was happening. Donna was about to be killed. Rose grabbed her sonic device and ran out of the TARDIS. Donna and Lance were tied above the hole. Donna was glaring at Lance with evil in her eyes. She hated Lance now. Rose glared at one of the Santas. She soniced it and she grabbed one of the gun’s it had. She wasn’t going in defenseless. The Racnoss looked at Rose funnily and clicked a button. Lance and Donna started glowing and the Huon was leaving their bodies. 

“Please! Don’t kill me! Use her! Use Donna instead!” The Racnoss smirked and laughed at Lance.

“Now, now, you’re being quite rude to your lady friend.” Then, Lance fell into the hole. Donna started screaming in fear and while the Empress was distracted Rose shot at her. The Racnoss frowned as the blasts missed her. “Naughty, naughty.” Rose glared at the Racnoss. 

“I’m not as bad of a shot as you think.” Water dripped onto the Racnoss. They were underneath the Thames. “Go, leave, I won’t ask twice.” The Racnoss only laughed. 

“I suppose my babies will have to dine on your flesh.” Rose planted her feet firmly on the ground and made the killshot. The Racnoss screamed and fell into the hole. The robots collapsed with no one able to control them.

“Donna! Can you get down!” Donna grabbed onto a thick piece of web and nodded. She swung down like Tarzan and made it to the ground. Rose stared up at the flood barrier. She heard a crash. Her eyes widened. Would she drain the Thames? 

“Rose, let’s go!” Donna said, she pulled onto Rose’s wrist and dragged her into the TARDIS. The hologram Doctor appeared and started guiding on how to get out and they flew out of the drilling site. Rose clicked on the remote and saw what was happening outside. A Christmas star fell into the Thames with lightning bursting out of it until it hit the water. Rose couldn’t believe she just ended an entire species like that, but she needed to make that decision. The TARDIS landed outside of Donna Noble’s house and Rose sank to the floor of the TARDIS as soon she could. She was so tired. How did the Doctor do this alone?

“You’re home now, Donna,” Rose told her. Donna walked over to Rose and sat down in front of her.

“Are you ok?” Rose shook her head. She put her head in her hands. What was happening to her? How was she supposed to live without the Doctor? “Tell me about your friend, Rose.” Rose choked back a sob.

“He was so amazing. He  _ is _ so amazing. He’s not dead, but he’s gone and I can never see him again. He showed me all of this.” Rose motioned to the TARDIS. “This whole world of adventure and space. With him, life was like a drug, but now I see it a little differently. It’s a life of duty that can be fun.” Donna wrapped Rose up in a hug. “You should come with me,” Rose told her. Donna shook her head and pulled away.

“I can’t. I can’t do this life. Not like how you can.” Donna helped Rose up. “But you shouldn’t do this alone. Find someone, Rose.” Rose gave Donna a weak smile, trying to hide her disappointment. 

“I will,” she replied. 

“You wanna come in for Christmas dinner? I’m sure you’re starving.” 

“I shouldn’t, I have to finally clean up. I think I deserve a long shower and a nap!” Rose laughed. 

“Ok, take care of yourself, Rose.” Then Donna Noble left the TARDIS and Rose Tyler got her well deserved shower and meal. It wasn’t very much, just some chips with cheese, but to Rose it was the most enjoyable food ever.  _ Find someone _ , echoed in her brain. Rose thought back to her old friend. She needed to tell her. Rose couldn’t put it off any longer, but when would she tell her? That was the question. Rose looked over to the TARDIS. She always knew what to do, something caught her eye. The psychic paper and the new sonic device. How did they get in there? 

“When do you think I should tell her, TARDIS?” The hologram Doctor appeared, but it wasn’t her first Doctor. It was her current Doctor. He gave her a wink. 

And then, The TARDIS took Rose Tyler away to see her best mate, Shareen Costello.

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! The next chapters probably won’t be as long as this, but I didn’t want to upload this into parts. Next chapter isn’t adapted from any episode and introduces our first member of the “Girl Squad” (I’m trying to think of a better name before they start calling themselves a girl squad in canon) I’ll probably go back later and edit the chapter to make Donna, ya know, more Donna.


	3. Shareen and the Sycorax

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the way to see Shareen Costello, Rose Tyler runs into some trouble with an old enemy. Can Shareen help save Rose's life? Or will her story end here?

Rose Tyler was supposed to go see Shareen Costello, but as soon as the TARDIS took off in the air someone started shooting at her. She knew she wasn’t traveling through time. That had a specific feel to it. Rose supposed the TARDIS wanted Rose to have a good Christmas dinner with someone she knew. However, with someone blasting at her she found it very to land at the Estate. 

“Who’s outside?!” Rose yelled frantically. A book appeared right in front of Rose. Rose quickly flipped to the bookmarked page. “What? That can’t be right! Harriet Jones shot them down!” Rose’s eyes widened and she knew she had to make an emergency landing. “Come on Old Girl, let's get to Shareen’s.” Rose tried to input the data as well as she could, but in her frazzled state she might’ve hit a few wrong buttons. She just hoped the TARDIS would forgive her mistakes and take her to the right place. The TARDIS made a rapid descent and Rose hung onto the railing as hard as she could. Rose heard the whooshing of the TARDIS and felt the landing. She scraped her hands on the railing and ran outside the TARDIS with her sonic device. The blaster she stole from the Santa came to mind. As much as she wasn’t a fan of guns she needed to survive. Rose frowned and ran out of the TARDIS leaving the blaster behind. She wasn’t as close to the Estate as she wanted to be. With a Sycorax chasing her she needed to get somewhere safe immediately. Rose ran as fast as she could. People were stepping out of their homes to see what was happening. _Oh no._ People were going to get hurt. 

“Go back inside!” A blast nearly hit Rose and she heard screams coming from the Estate. “I said go back inside!” Rose screamed. Rose couldn’t believe she just had to fight the Racnoss and now she had to fight a Sycorax! She didn’t remember it being so action packed on Christmas last year. After Rose and the Doctor had to deal with the Sycorax last year she and the Doctor had some time to relax. At least it was a lone Sycorax and not thousands! Rose looked up at the Sycorax. It was using a glider like from Spider-Man. 

“You will pay for what your people did! Yellow girl!” Rose regretted not taking that blaster now. 

“Why me! I didn’t shoot down the Sycorax!” The Sycorax snarled. 

“If I cannot get Harriet Jones I will get you!” Rose made her way to the stairs of the Estate. Once Rose had hidden a weapon there, but her home was given to someone else now. It had been months. 

“Rose!” Rose turned around. It was Shareen. Shareen Costello was holding a knife from her kitchen. “Get in! Hurry!” Rose ran into where Shareen lived and successfully locked the door behind her. Shareen dropped the knife on the floor and engulfed Rose with a huge hug. “I can’t believe it! You’re alive!” Ugly crying on Shareen’s end was cut short when a knock came at the door. Rose looked through a peephole. It was the Sycorax. Why was he knocking? 

“Don’t let him in, Shareen!” 

“Wasn’t planning on it!” Shareen quipped. Rose looked around Shareen’s flat for something to block the door. Rose grabbed a chair from the dining table and put it by the door. “This is what you’ve been doing with your life! Running from aliens?” Rose nodded while breathing heavily. 

“Normally it’s quite fun!” Shareen dark hair was in a loose bun and she wore a teal tracksuit. 

“You run from aliens,” Shareen said with a realizing tone. The gravity of the situation dawned onto Shareen. 

“What's going on out there?” An older woman asked from the tv room. Shareen’s great aunt Gloria. 

“Just stay away from the windows Aunt Gloria!” Shareen’s mum came from the tv room. She gasped. The grey haired older woman was a friend of Jackie Tyler. Andi Costello.

“Rose?” Rose gave Andi a smile.

“I’m alive, but please, take everyone into your bedroom and don’t come out until I give you the go ahead. Please, Andi, I’ll explain everything as soon as I can.” The knocking grew louder and she knew soon the Sycorax would start damaging property. 

“Give me the yellow girl!” Andi Costello hurried all of Shareen’s family members that were in the flat into her bedroom with a nod. 

“Barricade the door!” Rose advised. Shareen picked up the knife from the ground. 

“You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, mate! But--” Shareen was cut off by the heavy knocking. “Go away!” Shareen shouted. “Leave my family alone!” Shareen looked to Rose softly. “That includes my best mate, Rose Tyler!” Rose’s left eye started watering and Rose knew what was coming next. Rose pressed her body on the door. 

“She was witness to a murder of thousands of Sycorax!” 

“You tried to enslave all of humanity!” Rose shouted back. “I had no part in the slaughter! Besides, the Human race has the right to defend itself!” Rose at this point had the tissue pressed to her eye. Her depth perception was terrible. 

“Rose,” Shareen whispered. “You alright?” Rose shrugged. 

“Only started today.”

“The star crashing into the Thames, was that you?” Shareen asked, still in a whispering tone. 

“I think so,” Rose replied. “But I mostly just handled stuff underground with a giant spider.” Shareen shuddered.

“I hope this is a dream and when I wake up my mum will tell me I partied too hard.” Rose giggled. Rose missed Shareen so much. Shareen’s round face had grown flushed, probably from the stress.

“Me too.” The tissue was overloaded with tears, so Rose had to ditch it in a bin. 

“How come I can understand him?” She added. “Thought it be like talking to someone from a different country, wouldn’t they have their own language?”

“It’s the TARDIS, she can translate languages in our heads.”

“TARDIS?” Shareen said to herself quietly, in a questioning tone.

“Tell me, yellow girl! Whatever happened to your friend in the stripes! _The Doctor!_ ” Rose grabbed the knife, which was probably meant for cutting a heavy duty meat, and removed the chair from the door. Shareen put her hand on Rose’s shoulder. 

“What are you doing?” Rose squeezed the knife handle so hard her hand was turning white. 

“I won’t let him talk about the Doctor,” Rose said, filled with rage. “This Sycorax doesn’t know anything! I don’t even think he was there.”

“Rose, what happened to the Doctor? Why were you alone running from an alien?”

“He’s gone, just like my mum.” Shareen gasped. Rose opened the door and pointed her sonic screwdriver in one hand and Shareen’s knife in the other. She disabled the gun and screamed in the Sycorax’s face. “Don’t you say his name! _He_ tried to let your kind go! _He_ deposed Harriet Jones for what she did! _He_ was a good person!” Right before Rose could make any other move her eye started to hurt again. A scene appeared in her mind as she doubled over and she dropped the knife outside of Shareen’s flat. Rose gasped in pain. 

“Rose!” The pain subsided and so did Rose’s anger. This Sycorax was acting on the same rage she had. Rose smiled at Shareen. Shareen mouthed something to her. ‘Your eye is glowing.” Rose nodded, _of course it was_ , Rose rolled her eyes. This was getting old already. The Sycorax was glaring down at Rose. It was time for some diplomacy. Just like the Doctor would’ve wanted.

“Come inside, Shareen’ll pour you a cuppa.” Shareen looked at Rose strangely, but Rose just gave her the “thumbs up” and a smile. ‘Don’t worry, we’ll be fine.’ Shareen gave the Sycorax a fake smile and invited him into her flat. The Sycorax looked at the two of them suspiciously.

“What is your plan, yellow girl?” Rose shook her head. 

“Just come in for a cup of tea. Let’s talk, it’s Christmas after all.” Shareen went over to her family hiding in her mum’s bedroom and told them something. It was probably to not panic, but Rose didn’t have super hearing. Rose pulled out a chair for the Sycorax and Shareen went to work making a kettle of tea. “Sit, we aren’t going to hurt you. It won’t be like last Christmas. Let’s just talk.” The Sycorax’s narrowed his eyes, but sat down in the chair Rose pulled out. Rose sat in front and they sat in silence for a couple minutes. 

“I didn’t know humans could glow,” he said, out of the blue.

“They can’t, I’m just an anomaly. Why did you decide to come here? Harriet Jones shot down the ship of the Sycorax before they could get their message back.” The Sycorax frowned. 

“I was a scout sent before the lot arrived originally. I wasn’t there during the Grand Confrontation, but I watched it on your news.” Rose was correct, this specific Sycorax wasn’t there. “I’ve been stranded here ever since.”

“The Doctor didn’t shoot down the ship, that was Torchwood,” Rose said with disgust. “He let them go even after one of your kind chopped off his hand.” Rose heard a gasp from the kitchen. Rose felt for Shareen, she must’ve been so stressed at this situation. Rose looked back at Shareen. She was slightly shaking as she grabbed a cup and saucer. Maybe this was a bad decision? Shareen had almost no time to adjust to the idea of aliens and Rose being involved with them. Rose had at least a little time, and someone with expert knowledge of space to teach her. Shareen wouldn’t be the same after this.

“I’m sorry about what happened, but the Sycorax started it, and Harriet Jones thought she was finishing it. It was wrong, but what’s done is done. Let me take you home.” Shareen’s flats made noises on the tile of her flat’s kitchen. She set the kettle on a red heat resistant pad and got the Sycorax the cup and saucer she pulled out earlier. 

“Someone must pay for what was done to us.” Rose frowned, but he was somewhat right. Only somewhat right, though. 

“You were dealt an injustice, but your people came here to enslave us. You were a scout, you’ve seen how humans react when they are scared. They lash out and make terrible decisions that hurt people.”

“They were leaving!” The Sycorax exclaimed. Rose motioned to the tea. 

“Drink your tea,” she told him. The Sycorax gruffed, but drank his tea anyway. He spit it out all over Rose. Shareen had given him black tea. Rose frowned, looking down at her clothes. Ugh, she just changed clothes. Rose couldn’t blow up at the Sycorax, but she wanted to. Her yellow jumper was ruined. Shareen ran over with milk and sugar. The Sycorax dumped all of it in the teacup. Rose and Shareen watched it overflow and spill all over the table. It dripped off the table and onto the black and white tile and it flowed into the carpet. Shareen looked infuriated. Rose was going to have to make it up to her big time.

“Just, please,” Shareen said. “Go back home! Leave us alone! My dad tried to jump off a building because of you!” The Sycorax stood up. 

“And my clan was partially slaughtered!”

“By one person! That person wasn’t even Rose! Just go back home!”

“Don’t speak to me with such a tone!”

“Listen Sycorax! We've been very kind to you! I could’ve killed you, but I didn’t! We Humans don’t mean any harm when we aren’t threatened! You are dirtying up Shareen’s flat and spit on me! Just go back home to wherever your people live and leave us alone!” The Sycorax growled.

“My parents were on that ship! Have you ever watched your parents die and can’t do anything about it!” Rose stuck her hand up and blocked Shareen from trying anything. Rose stood up as well and got right in the face of the Sycorax. Rose got a whiff of it’s bad breath and had to resist the urge to double over. 

“Yes, I have,” Rose said simply. “I held my own father in my arms while he died. There was nothing I could do to save him. Just recently my mum got stuck in a parallel universe that I can never go to. Also! The love of my life is there too! Listen, I know what happened was terrible, but we can’t change it. I especially can’t change it because it happened in my own personal timeline. We need to be able to grow from our past and our tragedies and go forward, so please, _leave us alone_.” At the end of Rose’s statement her tiredness became evident to everyone there. The Sycorax looked at Rose with anger on his face, but he said nothing. He looked to Shareen and her frightened expression and walked out of the apartment. Rose could finally breathe again. Shareen ran to the bedroom hiding her family and let them out. 

“It’s safe! I promise it’s safe! Come on out!” Shareen laughed nervously at Rose. “Good thing this year we decided to order Chinese! Hasn’t arrived yet!” Andi Costello came out of the room utterly confused. 

“What just happened?” She asked. 

“Rose just told an alien to shove it!” Shareen said, cheery. Shareen’s family saw Rose clearly and wrapped her in a big hug. 

“We thought you were dead!” “I can’t believe this!” “Why didya only come around now?” All came at once. Shareen was always at Rose’s flat and vice versa. It occured to Rose that they all must’ve mourned her and her mum. 

“It’s a long story,” Rose told them. Andi gasped when she saw the tea seeping into the carpet. She ran grabbed some towels and carpet cleaner and went to work. Rose looked to the hallway to the door. It was still open and people from the surrounding flats were looking in. They heard someone walking up the stairs and ask.

“Hullo? This is the Costello Residence?” A familiar voice called, but Rose couldn’t remember. The people parted and the food delivery person hung in the doorway. _Lucy_ , Harriet Jones’ driver. She looked almost the same except she seemed a lot less put together. Her eyebrows were feathery and her hair was in a messy bun on top of her head instead of slicked back. Maybe she was a little younger, no, she was definitely younger, maybe around 16. Her nose ring was a hoop in her right nostril instead of a stud. Rose wasn’t sure what to do, but obviously the Costellos would want their food. Rose walked up to Lucy with a nervous smile. 

“Yes, er, this is the Costello residence. Is this their dinner?” Lucy nodded and handed her the bag full of food that specifically did not smell like Chinese food. It smelled like an Indian restaurant. Rose peeked in the bag and yes, it was Indian food. 

“Don’t worry, Rose, they’ll enjoy this food a lot more.”

“Lucy?” Lucy smirked with a glint in her brown eyes. 

“Well, I go by my given name Aarti, but yeah, _you_ can call me Lucy.” Curiouser and curiouser. Lucy reached into the pocket of her white uniform. “I was told to give this to you.” Lucy pulled out a folded note and handed it to Rose. “Also the food is free of charge. You might want to bring 15 quid with you when you leave though.” Lucy closed the door and Shareen appeared right by Rose. 

“Did you pay for our meal?” Rose shook her head. 

“No, she said it was free.” Shareen took the bag from Rose’s hands and scrunched up her round nose. 

“This is Indian. We ordered Chinese.”

“I know, but since when did you ever turn down a free meal,” Rose replied. Shareen rolled her light brown eyes. 

“You don’t think it’s roofied?” Shareen asked. Rose burst out laughing. 

“I don’t think anyone is going to deliver roofied food to your house. Just go give that to your mum, I’ve got something to show you.” Shareen’s eyebrows rose. 

“Oh really?” Shareen turned to go give her family the food. 

“And can I borrow 15 quid?” Shareen stuck her thumb out. Rose opened the folded note. It had “March 2008, Royal Hope Hospital” written on it. Rose put it in the pocket of her jeans and she realized. She answered the door covered in tea. Shareen came back with 15 quid and a jacket. 

“So, what'd ya wanna show me?” Rose grabbed Shareen’s hand and ran out of the flat. “Wow! Why are we running?”

“Because I’m excited!” As soon as they got to the stairs and Shareen needed to catch her breath Shareen got quiet.

“Is all that you told the Sycorax true?” Rose nodded with a sigh. 

“Yeah, it is, traveling with the Doctor has been interesting.”

“What about your eye, Rose? It was glowing.”

“I’m not really sure about that, I couldn’t do that yesterday, but it’s happened twice today.”

“Are you going to die?” Rose shrugged. 

“I have no idea, but let’s go with ‘probably not’ and hope for the best.” Rose descended down the stairs and Shareen followed. There was a Chinese food delivery guy right in front of the TARDIS.

“Are you Rose Tyler?” He asked. She nodded.

“Shareen, pay him.” Shareen’s brows furrowed and she gave him the money. He handed her the bag of Chinese food and walked away. Rose smiled at the TARDIS. “Shareen! Meet the TARDIS!” 

“What’s that?”

“This is my spaceship!” Shareen’s face looked like it would explode.

“But that’s a blue box?” Rose unlocked the TARDIS and entered. She poked her head out and gave Shareen a cheeky grin.

“Are you coming?” Shareen entered the TARDIS and Rose could’ve sworn she was going to have a heart attack. She dropped the Chinese food on the ground and gasped. 

“It’s bigger on the inside! This is a spaceship!” 

“And she’s a time machine!”

“A time machine!” Rose leaned on the console of the TARDIS with a perky expression.

“Also, the Doctor wa--is an alien with two hearts!”

“Huh?”

“Let’s go on an adventure! Let’s see, maybe Royal Hope Hospital, 2008?”

Shareen was handling it surprisingly well. Rose phoned Shareen’s family and informed them that they would be going on a trip and everything was fine. Andi was glad that at least they phoned this time. Rose going missing for a year made the Costello’s a little reluctant, but after the fact that Rose saved them from an alien they wished them good luck. They were also upset they never got their Chinese food, but they enjoyed the free Indian food, so that left Lucy being the only missing piece of the puzzle. Rose put in the coordinates and took Shareen on her first trip through time and space. 

“Hang on!” Rose yelled as the TARDIS made the familiar sounds signifying it’s taking off. Shareen gripped the railing and the Chinese food bag. The shaking made Shareen frown.

“Is it always like this!” 

“Ya! It’s less so with the Doctor, but since you’ve only got me it will _always_ be like this!”

“I’m glad I don’t get motion sickness! That would be very bad!” Then the TARDIS landed.

“I got a note that told me to go to the Royal Hope Hospital in March 2008, so let’s go!” Shareen looked very confused. She stood up with the Chinese food and set it on the console.

“You have a time machine and you want to go to 2008? Why don’t we go somewhere exciting?” Rose did agree with that, but this note was peaking her interest.

“Normally I’d agree, but the delivery girl for the Indian food gave me a note.”

“A love note? That seems very primary school, Rose.” Rose rolled her eyes.

“Not a love note, it had time and place on it. Besides, it's not the note that I’m interested in. It’s the person who delivered it. I’d already seen her that day, but she was at least 10 years older.” Shareen puckered her lips and moved them to the left side of her face.

“That’s weird,” she replied. Rose was glad that Shareen was handling this so well. Rose just wanted to be with someone who understood her at the moment and Shareen was the only person left in her universe who did. 

“Yeah, but not nearly as weird as time traveling in a police box, right?” Shareen giggled.

“I suppose you're right.” Shareen frowned looking at Rose. “You aren’t going out like that, are you?” She asked. Rose was about to protest when she realized she was still wearing the tea stained yellow jumper. _That also had alien spit on it_. Rose gasped and ran away to her bedroom. Rose looked at her mirror and frowned. That poor jumper. Rose changed into a purple t shirt and went back to see Shareen shoving an egg roll into her mouth.

“Wot?” Shareen swallowed the egg roll and smiled. “I’m not letting Chinese food for 6 go to waste, especially since my Christmas dinner was ruined by an alien I’m very hungry.” There was knocking on the door of the TARDIS and Rose checked where they were. Rose’s eyes widened and she exposed her teeth in her shock. 

“We’re not in 2008, we’re 1008. Where the Royal Hope Hospital will be. I’m bad at this!”


	4. TARDIS Lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for Rose to get some help.

Shareen and Rose panted as they made it back to the TARDIS. England before the Norman conquests was somewhat terrible. Rose sighed as she made her way to the console. 

“Maybe now I’ll be better at taking us to Royal Hope Hospital,” Rose said, hopefully. 

“No!” Shareen exclaimed. “First we’re going back to the Estate and I’m seeing my mum!” Shareen expelled air from her mouth in a huff.

“Oh,” Rose said quietly trying to hide her disappointment. “Do you not want to do this anymore?” Rose asked. Shareen gave Rose a small laugh.

“Rose, sweetie, my best mate, almost getting stranded 1000 years in the past made me wanna go hug my mum,” Shareen frowned. Rose wasn’t ever going to see her mum again. “You can hug my mother too if you want?” Rose laughed a little bit. 

“No, I’m fine, I want to check up on some things. I need to ask Harriet Jones a couple questions.” Shareen gaped, like her mouth practically hit the floor.

“You know Harriet Jones?” Rose nodded. 

“I hid in a cabinet with her, am I going to have to explain to everyone that I know Harriet Jones?” Shareen nodded. 

“Yes! You know the former Prime Minister!” Rose’s lips flattened into a thin line. 

“That’s going to get very annoying.” Rose set the coordinates and went more specific. She silently begged that the TARDIS would take them where they wanted to go. Instead of the year 1008. 

“It’s your own fault you’re so interesting. You could try and be less interesting from now on. Like instead of time traveling we could go to Tesco and pig out on ferrero rocher.” The TARDIS landed and Rose looked to the date. _Please be a few days, please be a few days, please be a few days,_ Rose hoped. Her mum had been so mad when she went off with the Doctor and was gone for a year. Rose didn’t want to do that to Andi. It was January 4th 2008. Rose cheered internally. She did it! Well, it hadn’t been a few days like she was hoping, but she wasn’t a whole year off. That was as big a victory as any when you couldn’t drive the TARDIS. 

“We made it to January 4th, nothing crazy.” Shareen sighed loudly in relief. 

“Oh thank heaven!” Shareen ran out of the TARDIS and went to go find her family, leaving Rose alone in the TARDIS.

“Shareen! You don’t have a key!” The door shut before the sound escaped. She was getting better at this though. Maybe it was time for her to actually get those TARDIS lessons. She was just going off what the first Hologram of the Doctor taught her. Input coordinates and hope for the best, but the Doctor was never the most amazing at flying the TARDIS in the first place. “So, Old Girl? Can you teach me how to use you?” Rose opened her psychic paper and saw a _no_ . “What? Why?” _I can’t teach you,_ appeared on the psychic paper, _but I know someone who can_ . “Who?” Rose asked. _It’s a surprise_. Rose frowned, it seemed the TARDIS enjoyed playing games with her. A knock came at the TARDIS’s door. Rose shuddered, wondering if anyone had followed her. 

“Rose! I know you’re in there!” Sarah Jane! Rose rushed to open the doors and welcomed Sarah Jane Smith back to the TARDIS.

“What are you doing here?” Rose asked, while hugging Sarah Jane.

“I was in the neighborhood when I heard the TARDIS and thought I’d see how you were doing.” Sarah Jane sniffed. “It smells like pre conquest England in here.”

“You can tell?” Rose gaped. Sarah Jane shook her head. She motioned to a piece of parchment on the ground. Sarah Jane picked it up and smiled. 

“It’s got an Anglo-Saxon name on it. How’d it go?” Sarah Jane asked. Rose expelled a breath. 

“Pretty bad, almost stopped the conquest, which would’ve been very bad. I miss the Doctor.” Sarah Jane nodded.

“Me too, but you get used to it, however it took me years to cope with the fact that he left me, not that he left you on purpose!” Sarah Jane backtracked. 

“It’s fine, I know what you meant. Do you know how to work the TARDIS by any chance?” Sarah Jane shook her head. 

“Even if I did, I’d have probably forgotten how to use her by now. It’s been so long. However, it’s really great being in the TARDIS again. You should stop by UNIT. They’ll know something about how to drive her.” Rose smiled at Sarah Jane.

“Thank you, Sarah Jane.” 

“It’s not a problem.”

So, Rose made her way to UNIT headquarters and was greeted by a stunned silence. 

“Is there something on my face?” She asked, when suddenly all of that stunned silence turned into collective chatter and questions Rose didn’t want to answer. 

“Rose Tyler!” It was Lucy, again. Or Aarti? This was confusing. She looked more like the Lucy Rose met in the car. Her eyebrows were neatly groomed. She wore a lab coat and a green turtleneck and long black slacks. “It’s great to see you, again,” she added.

“I thought you were Harriet Jones’ driver?” Lucy nodded. 

“Yeah, but when I’m not I’m working here.” 

“Cool,” Rose said, “I had a couple questions, but I suppose if these people don’t stop gaping I’ll have to come back later.” Lucy’s eyes widened and she shook her head. 

“Don’t go, walk with me! Ask away!” Lucy guided Rose to a hallway and they began to walk.

“Lucy, what’s your deal?” Rose asked, bluntly. Lucy rose her eyebrows in surprise, but only laughed.

“I can’t tell you everything, but let’s just say you were there for me when I grew up.” 

“Why?” 

“I’m not sure, you wouldn’t tell me, you were always very vague. I grew up not in a linear timeline. Some years I grew up in the past and some years I was in the future.”

“Do you remember giving me a note?” Lucy nodded.

“Yes, but it was 10 years ago for me, so I can’t tell you anything about it.”

“Oh, that’s disappointing.”

“You didn’t know I worked at UNIT though, so I’m guessing you didn’t come here for me?” Rose nodded. 

“D’ya happen to have any files on the TARDIS?” Rose asked, getting back on the reason she came in the first place. Lucy’s eyes widened and she smiled widely. 

“That we do! They’re kinda barebones because there was no way the Doctor was going to let us at the TARDIS.”

“Did you ever meet the Doctor?” Rose asked. 

“No, heard a lot about him though.” Lucy used her keycard to open up a door to a room that was wall to wall files. “Have at it, I’ll check back in an hour.” Thus, Rose poured over whatever she could find on the TARDIS. She was tempted to read up on the Doctor, but he wasn’t there to defend himself and she didn’t want to ruin her view of him. There wasn’t a lot on the TARDIS. They knew she was alive and the last of her kind. Perhaps Rose should’ve just gotten her TARDIS lessons from the Hologram Doctor instead. Rose picked up a few useful files and took pictures of them and just then something popped into her head. They scanned Donna, they could scan Rose. They could find out what was wrong with her. Rose let out a sigh of relief. The door opened and Lucy came back in the room.

“Find anything helpful?” She asked. Rose nodded.

“I know more than before, so that’s good. You’re a scientist right?” Lucy rolled her eyes. 

“No, I'm a janitor.” Lucy laughed. “What do you need? Anything you want to check on? I’m sure we’ll be able to take a look at it.”

“Can you take a look at my head? Something is very wrong and I don’t know what it is.” Lucy smiled and nodded. 

“We have an MRI machine in the back. Are you claustrophobic?” Rose shook her head. “Good, now let’s go.” The pair headed to a laboratory in the back. It had a lot of medical equipment. Lucy set Rose in a chair and began checking her blood pressure and her heart rate. “Your heart rate is slightly above average, but you do a lot of stressful stuff, I’m not worried about it. Your blood pressure is good.” So far so good. Lucy took blood and then flashed a light in her eyes. That elicited a different response from Lucy. She no longer wore a smile on her face. She didn’t look upset, but she looked a little worried. 

“What’s wrong?” Rose asked. 

“Your left pupil reacted faster than your right pupil. Like it knew what was going to happen.” Rose sighed.

“Of course it’s the left one! Why did I expect anything else?” 

“Your left eye has been causing you trouble?”

“I keep getting pain right behind it. They’re like migraines, but I get little hints. Hints of the future. Like I just get this instinct of what to do. Then there’s the glowing.” Lucy gaped. 

“Why didn’t you tell me your eye was glowing?” 

“I didn’t occur to me.” Rose’s voice had a hint of realization, but was full with the color excuses. “Do you know why my eye glows?” Lucy shook her head.

“I don’t know everything, Rose, tell me when did all this start?”

“Right after I first met you. I fought the Racnoss and I got this terrible headache then my eye was glowing. My left eye was acting weird since Donna and I made it to her reception.”

“I think it’s time for that MRI.” Lucy looked ashen. She sighed and felt around for something. She grabbed the vial of blood she collected, but she set it back down. Panic danced across Rose’s features. “Lemme go warm up the machine,” she said, darkly. Rose wasn’t so sure Lucy’s intentions were all good at this point. Rose looked around for a weapon to defend herself with. The blood was gone. Rose bet money that UNIT now had blood control technology. Rose went to go see where she was. Rose heard Lucy by the MRI machine.

“Lucy?” What Rose saw would change how she saw Lucy forever. Lucy put a drop of Rose’s blood on her finger and licked it. Lucy’s color went back to normal and Rose nearly screamed. Lucy realized Rose was watching her and gasped. 

“I’m so sorry Rose.” Rose slowly backed away. She looked to the exit. She wanted to run away, but the Doctor wouldn’t have run away, so neither would she. Lucy came out from behind the MRI machine. She stuck the vial of Rose’s blood out. “You can take it, I just needed a drop.”

“What are you?” Rose asked, slightly terrified. Lucy looked at Rose with a slight pout.

“My mother is an alien, she’s a plasmavore. So, I’m like part vampire. I promise I wasn’t going to drink your blood! But I got really hungry and because it was already out of your body I didn’t see the harm.” Rose opened her mouth to ask questions, but nothing came out. “I normally don’t drink blood! I just eat really salty food!”

“How?” Rose asked, _very_ confused. Lucy’s lips flattened. She seemed to be looking for words. She expelled a bunch of air before finally explaining her story.

“My mom crash landed on Earth on the brink of death, and my dad rescued her. Then she _repaid_ him.” Lucy looked very uncomfortable. “After that she tried to kill him, but he survived!” She added. “But somehow I found my way to him as a very little kid. After that we moved from time period to time period because it turns out plasmavores aren’t very good people!” Lucy sighed. “Can we just do your MRI now? I really didn’t expect to have this conversation with you today.” Rose nodded. 

“Ok, but we aren’t done talking about this. I know there’s more you aren’t telling me.” The pair proceeded to start the MRI. Rose got in the machine and took a deep breath. Rose was really glad she wasn’t claustrophobic. Loud noises came bursting from all sides. It startled Rose, she never needed an MRI before. Images started flashing in her mind. Images of the Doctor. Back when they were together and happy. She started to tear up at the thought. A specific memory made her smile the most. 

“Everybody lives,” she whispered to herself. Even though she was chased by people in gas masks everyone lived. Little Jamie got his mum. She met Jack there. The Doctor needed that day, they all did. The pain started behind her eye again. This time no feeling or hint came with it. 

“ _Rose!_ ” The Doctor’s voice called. It wasn’t just a figment of her imagination. She heard it from outside the MRI machine. Rose tried to sit up, but she bumped her head on the machine. 

“Did you hear that!” Rose shouted. 

“What?” Lucy responded. The MRI machine shut down and Lucy pulled Rose out. She gasped. “Your eye! It’s really glowing!” She said, “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“Did you hear that? A voice?” Lucy shook her head. 

“I didn’t hear anything, maybe it was just the MRI machine?” Rose scowled. 

“No, it was definitely the Doctor.” The pain started to leave her body and Rose let out a sigh of relief. This was going to be a challenge. 

“But isn’t he stuck in another universe?” 

“That’s why I asked. You don’t think the walls of the universe are getting thinner?” 

“I’m not sure, Rose, you might have just been hallucinating, how much sleep have you gotten these past few days? Not very much right?” 

“I haven’t slept since I saw you last.” Lucy tugged on her cheeks and moaned. 

“Rose, that’s not healthy!”

“I know, but I just can’t right now. Did you figure anything out?” Lucy went over to the computer hooked up to the MRI machine and started looking at what they were able to get. 

“I can’t believe that just happened in real time,” she said, quietly to herself. Rose walked over to Lucy and looked at the images. It was like there was something in her brain behind her left eye trying to get out. Lucy flipped through the images and frowned. It was pushing against her brain. “I have no clue what’s in your brain, Rose. I’ve never seen anything like this before. I’ll need to do more tests. Are you alright with that?” 

“Yeah, let’s just nip this in the bud,” she said. Lucy grabbed a scanner and scanned her head. She made faces as she tried different readings. 

“They have a similar structure to Huon particles. Did you ever get those out of Donna?”

“I’m not sure, why?” Lucy frowned. 

“Well, I’m pretty sure at this point they are quite dangerous.” Rose’s eyes widened and she ran out of the room. Lucy chased after her. 

“I can’t believe I didn’t check to see if they were dangerous! I’m such an idiot! Donna could be dead by now!”

“She’s not!” Rose stopped suddenly and turned to Lucy. 

“She isn’t?” Rose let out a sigh of relief. “How is she?” 

“She’s on a trip to Cairo, we just assumed you got them out of her when she was perfectly fine. Perhaps we shouldn’t have done that, but she really is alive and well! Rose, however you might not be. Let’s get back to the lab and I’ll run more tests.” Rose shook her head. 

“I still made a terrible mistake. I have to make sure I don’t make the same mistake twice.” Rose rubbed her fingers on her TARDIS key. She was terrible at this. How could she continue in the Doctor’s name if she was going to let the little things swing by. Lucy put her right hand on Rose’s shoulder.

“Rose, you could be very sick. Huon particles are in your brain, trying to escape. They could kill you.” Rose looked back to the barebones medical lab.

“Ok, but we’re not doing this here.” Rose grabbed Lucy’s hand and they left UNIT. They ran 3 blocks and made it to the TARDIS where Rose found Shareen waiting outside the TARDIS wearing a very big coat. She folded her arms and scowled at Rose. 

“I’ve been waiting out here for 15 minutes!” Rose unlocked the TARDIS and let Lucy and Shareen inside. Lucy’s eyes went wide and ran around looking at the console. Rose could see the gears turning in Lucy’s head. 

“Who’s she?” Shareen asked Rose, suspiciously. 

“She’s a friend, Lucy, I needed her help with something, I’m sorry I was late, but we didn’t set a time for us both you meet again.” Shareen let out a breath.

“Oh my lord! I’m in the TARDIS! It really is bigger on the inside!” Shareen rolled her eyes at Lucy. 

“Do you want to be alone with it?” 

“Her,” Rose interjected. “The TARDIS is a she.”

“She’s beautiful!” Lucy said. The TARDIS hummed in response.The TARDIS liked Lucy, so that was good. Rose led Lucy to where the lab/infirmary was with Shareen following close behind. The gears in Lucy’s head were spinning so hard Rose thought they were going to make her brain melt. Shareen took off her coat and set it down on a coat. 

“My mum missed you by the way,” she said. “She would’ve loved to see you again.” Rose smiled at Shareen. 

“Next time, I promise I’ll stop by.” Shareen puckered her lips as Lucy redid tests and did new ones. Lucy now had access to the memory banks of the TARDIS who knew almost everything in the known universe. Lucy was practically flying around the TARDIS. She reminded her of the Doctor. 

“All of these incredible instruments! If only UNIT had something like this! We could change the world!” Rose frowned.

“But you’re not supposed to, not yet. Unfortunately there's a time for everything, and Earth isn’t ready for it yet. I made a mistake of bringing someone who wanted to change the course of events forever once. Lucy, I won’t make that mistake again. Promise me that you won’t take anything out of the TARDIS.” The excitement on Lucy’s face ended, but she nodded.

“I promise, Rose.” Rose caught a glimpse of Shareen looking utterly confused before a bout of fake confidence slapped itself on her face. 

“Yeah, not everyone can be a TARDIS crew member,” she said. “Some people just don’t got it!” Rose rolled her eyes. 

“You help me defeat one Sycorax and all of a sudden you get cocky,” Rose muttered. Lucy snorted. “Also, I told you, they’re called companions. I was a companion to the Doctor, and you’re a companion to me.” 

“I told you, Rose, that sounds sexual, crew member at least sounds like I’ve got a job. Or that I’m from _Treasure Island_ , which is good too.”

“Or that you work at Pret a Manger!” Lucy added, causing Shareen to redden.

“Would you prefer assistant?” Shareen rolled her eyes again. 

“She thinks just because she keeps on saving the world that she’s special, but I’m the designated driver when she gets pissed.” 

“Ah ha!” Lucy exclaimed. 

“What did you find?” Rose asked. Lucy’s face sunk. 

“Needs a couple days to process, damn, maybe we could all go on an adventure and they’ll be done by then?” Lucy suggested, her voice grew higher by the end of the sentence. Rose looked to Shareen who was already getting protective of her status as Rose’s first companion. Rose stood up. 

“Let me confer with my companion.” Rose walked over with a smug face over to Shareen. Shareen’s eyes were narrowed and she flattened her lips. “What do you think? Shall we take her on an adventure with us?” Rose whispered. 

“You’re really asking me?” Shareen asked, whispering back.

“You’re my best mate, of course I’m asking you. Come on, it’ll be fun, we can finally go to Royal Hope Hospital and figure out what that note meant!” Shareen seemed to put something together. 

“Was she the delivery girl?” Rose nodded. 

“Makes perfect sense, since she gave the note in the first place to take her with us.” Shareen let out a breath. 

“Ok, let’s do it.” Shareen looked like she might regret the decision, but Rose was grateful. Rose turned around and smiled to Lucy.

“Welcome aboard the TARDIS, Lucy, would you like to come to Royal Hope Hospital with us?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next stop, Martha Jones, how will the team deal with the next threat?


	5. Tyler and Jones (Well, Tyler, Jones, Gupta, and Costello)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls have arrived at Royal Hope Hospital not knowing what they will find there, but it soon becomes clear that not everything is as it seems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very long note at the end, but a very important one, so please read the whole thing.

Rose watched Shareen and Lucy carefully. Shareen kept looking at her through the corner of her eye. Rose looked at her new and improved camera phone. Something caught her eye in the pictures she took. Something about the connections that the TARDIS had to the people who drove it. Rose Tyler looked into the Heart of the TARDIS, wouldn’t that constitute some sort of bond. 

“ _Finally you noticed,_ ” a voice in her head said, but it wasn’t a voice. It was a feeling. It was abstract and unreal. 

‘How long have you been here?’ Rose asked in her head. 

“ _Not long, just since my Thief left this universe._ ” In the corner Rose saw that Shareen and Lucy were acting normal, so that meant they couldn’t hear her. They couldn’t hear the TARDIS because if they could Shareen would be confused and Lucy would explode. “ _It has to do with what’s in your head_.”

‘What’s in my head?’ Rose could hear a smile.

“ _Where’s the fun in telling you everything, Little Wolf?_ ”

‘My name is Rose,’ Rose interjected. 

“ _Not to me, you’ll find I’m quite different from your kind. I am the last TARDIS. Anyways, have fun at Royal Hope. I’ll take you there this time. You have to admit though, 1008 was a pretty good stunt._ ”

“Stunt?” Rose said aloud.

“Huh?” Rose heard Shareen say. Rose froze up, how was she going to explain that she was hearing the TARDIS?

“Nothing, just thinking out loud.” 

_“Good catch, anyways, have fun at the hospital.”_ Instructions popped into Rose’s mind and all of a sudden they were off to Royal Hope. Rose watched Lucy on her first trip through time and space. She looked absolutely high. Like she was tripping on LSD for the first time. Rose felt bad that she couldn’t give Lucy a very exciting first trip. A hospital in 2008 was certainly not as exciting as the end of the world. Or even the year 1008. 

“Can I step out first?” Lucy asked. 

“Why does everyone ask me for everything?” She said to herself. “I’m not your mum, go. Just wait for us. We need to make a plan.” Lucy smiled and ran out of the TARDIS. Shareen had a small smile across her face and she walked over to Rose. 

“She really doesn’t act her age, what is she, 26?” Shareen asked, putting her hands on her hips. She changed out of her teal tracksuit and heavy coat and instead in low waisted jeans with a shiny gold strappy shirt. Rose wasn’t super into her old way of dressing anymore after seeing what people wore in the future, but she was glad that Shareen was still herself. Shareen had her bun taken down and her lips were glossed to high heaven. 

“She’s half alien, Shareen, who knows, she could be a kid.” Shareen’s mouth hung open. 

“She’s half alien?”

“She said her mom was like a vampire.” Shareen squeaked and put her hand to her neck. She pursed her lips.

“She’s not gonna bite me right?” 

“How do you know she hasn’t bitten me!” She said, hissing at the end of her sentence and she chased Shareen out of the TARDIS grabbing a coat of the Doctor’s before the doors closed. He wore it often and wasn’t about to let it sit collecting dust. After all, Janis Joplin gave it to him.

* * *

Martha Jones walked down the street trying to make sure none of her family members killed her father’s new girlfriend. She didn’t expect the day would be as insane as it would turn out to be. Three young women approached her. One looked right out of a tabloid, one wore a hot pink cardigan underneath a brown coat much too long for her but she kept it from hitting the ground by pulling it up in her pockets, and one looked like she was ready to join Martha at work. The tanned one (looked to be Indian) used her hands to pry her mouth open showing her smile. 

“See, no fangs!” The trio walked off practically having a fit of laughter.

* * *

Rose sunk into her hospital bed with a sigh. Shareen and Lucy would be back in the morning and she was in for a long and lonely night at the hospital. Rose searched her mind for any proof of the TARDIS, but she couldn’t find any. Rose turned over and tried to lull herself to sleep. She wished she had the Doctor or her mum. They could always find some way to get her to sleep when she was listless. The Doctor would just sit by her bed reading until she fell asleep and well her mum. Her mum would threaten her or tell her a story. Rose constantly missed them. She was so bored there in the hospital. Since no one was there with her she had to settle for closing her eyes and imagining that she was back on the TARDIS reunited with her Doctor. When Rose woke up Lucy and Shareen were staring at each other angrily. 

“What’s got into you?” Rose asked. “Couldn’t bear to be without me for one night?” Lucy expelled a breath and took her eyes off Rose. Eliciting a positive reaction from Shareen who cheered. 

“I win the staring contest! You lose!” Lucy snorted. 

“And you say I’m immature,” she muttered under her breath. “We don’t have keys to the TARDIS, so let’s just say we had to call Shareen’s mum late and she was not happy about it.” Rose flattened her lips and made a noise of realization. Of course they forgot something. Lucy looked fine, dressed like a scientist as normal, but Shareen just wore a black t shirt over a white miniskirt. Truth be told, that really wasn’t her style. Shareen liked attention, but didn’t need to show a lot of skin to get it. She wore bright colors and shiny tops. Rose didn’t know where she got the clothes. Shareen noticed her looking at her clothes. 

“They're my sister's, all of my stuff was in the washing.” Rose’s mouth formed an O.

“How was your overnight stay?” Lucy asked.

“Slept like hell, but I’ll get over it. It was better than getting chewed out by your mum, Shareen!” Shareen blew a hair out of her face. 

“Don’t I know it? She was furious that she hadn’t heard from me for 2 weeks then she got a call that I’m in town because a friend and I were out drinking.” Rose sighed in relief, 2 weeks was not that bad. “She was really worried about you though,” Shareen added.

“Shareen’s floor is really uncomfortable by the way,” Lucy chimed in. Just then, a man they learned last night was named Dr Stoker came in with quite a few medical students. 

“Hello, Miss Tyler, how are you feeling?” 

“Bit better, still would be nice to know if I’m cancer free,” she said. The med students looked at her writing down every observation they could find. 

“Rose Tyler, admitted last night with a terrible headache, Jones, why don’t you see what you can find?” Jones was a girl with dark skin and hair that was slightly tied in the back. She looked at the trio with a glint in her eyes. 

“Wasn’t so smart to go fooling with your buddies earlier this morning now, was it?” She asked. Rose looked to Shareen and Lucy, confused. 

“Huh?”

“This morning on Chancellor Street? You and your friends walked up to me giggling like madwomen. This one,” she said, pointing to Lucy. “Said she didn’t have fangs.”

“I’ve been here all day,” she replied. “I’m not sure about these fools though.”

“Really? Haven’t got a twin sister that stopped off to the loo?” Rose shook her head. 

“Nope, just me and the girls.” Jones took Rose’s heartbeat. 

“Jones?” Dr Stoker asked. 

“She hit her head?” 

“Did you ask her?” Rose shook her head. 

“I did not hit my head!” Rose interjected. The med student and Dr Stoker were talking over Rose now.

“And you neglected to check her chart.” Dr Stoker picked up the chart as soon as he touched the top of the chart he dropped it onto Rose’s bed with a shock.

“That happened to me earlier,” a student said.

“Me too,” Jones said. 

“It’s most likely connected to the lightning storm coming in. Can anyone tell me who discovered static electricity?” 

“Benjamin Franklin,” called Lucy from behind the sea of students. Lucy turned to Rose.

“Maybe we should go visit him! We could find out about his sex cult! Was he gay? I have so many questions.” Shareen stifled a laugh and Rose’s brows furrowed. Was she trying to expose them? Or mess around?

“Nurse, maybe we should get a psychiatric exam for Miss Tyler’s friend over here.” Lucy’s face dropped as did Rose’s. The laugh Shareen had been hiding jumped out of her mouth and she had a fit of chuckles on the chair. The medical team doing the round walked away and Lucy stood up and announced that she was going to the vending machine and would bring back snacks. 

“You had a staring contest with Lucy?” Rose asked. Shareen nodded and leaned back in her uncomfortable chair. 

“Of course! Remember back when we were in our tweens and we would just stare at each other in class? It was way better than paying attention.”

“Do you not like Lucy?” She asked. Shareen huffed and crossed her arms.

“I don’t not like her,” she mumbled. “We really don’t know her, that’s my problem. How am I supposed to trust someone I just met last night?” Shareen told Rose, candidly. 

“I’m glad you actually have a reason, you used to get quite jealous back in our teens.” Shareen grew red. 

“I did not!” Rose snorted. 

“You did! Remember when Keisha joined our little party crew? It took you forever to like her!” Rose looked out to the window. It was finally raining. “I admit, there’s a lot to Lucy we don’t know, but I’m sure she’ll be ready to tell us when _we gain her trust too_.” Just then Lucy walked in looking shooken up. She looked like she did before she got that taste of Rose’s blood. She opened a bag of potato crisps and started munching on them like no tomorrow. 

“I have a bad feeling,” Lucy said, her mouth full of crisps. “This old lady grabbed my wrist when I was getting snacks. And I was like ‘no me gusta no ingles’ in a terrible Spanish accent and ran away. This is why I never leave my house.”

“You’re Indian, why did you use Spanish?” Shareen asked. 

“How do you know I’m Indian?” Shareen looked caught in headlights. “I’m just kidding, relax, but I’m not kidding about that old woman, she had a strong grip.” All of a sudden they felt themselves changing. Something was wrong, they felt a tremor and the trio was somewhere else. They looked out the window. They were on the Moon! Shareen and Lucy exchanged a nervous look. 

“Did you know about this?” Rose asked Lucy. She shook her head and quickly shoved the rest of the crisps in her mouth.

“I didn’t.” Rose grabbed the bag with her clothes in and pulled the curtain back around her bed. She changed back into her clothes and her shoes. This was go time. 

“I didn’t think this was going to be your first trip into space,” Rose said, “Funny how things work out like that.” Rose pulled on the Doctor’s spare jacket. “Gimme a mint,” she asked, as she left the bed. Lucy handed her a thing of mints and Rose took a couple. “Let’s go gang, something shady just put us on the Moon without the TARDIS, we’ve got everything to lose.” They heard patients panicking and crying for help.

“Should we split up or just look around together?” Shareen asked. 

“If we split up, we’ll cover more ground,” Lucy said. Rose agreed. 

“Let’s go separate,” Rose said as she ran to the windows. The med student, Jones, was there with another med student. She reached for a window, intending to open it. 

“Don’t!” The other student cried out. Rose was tempted to cry the same thing, but the calmness of Jones gave Rose pause. 

“These windows aren’t exactly airtight. If the air was going to leave we would’ve lost it all already.”

“That’s true,” Rose agreed. “I didn’t even think about that, what’s your name?” Rose asked.

“Martha, Martha Jones,” she replied. 

“I’m Rose, nice to meet you. The question is, now, how is the air staying in the hospital?” 

“We can’t be!” Rose turned to the other med student and put her hands on her shoulder comforting her.

“But we are sweetie, panicking is going to do us no good, you’re a doctor, right?” She asked. She nodded. “So go be a doctor and ignore the windows. Your patients need you,” she finished and sent the panicking student inwards and away from the windows. “Have we got a veranda or a balcony?” Rose asked and Martha nodded.

“We’ve got one for patients to use, why?”

“Wanna take me on a trip, Martha?” She smiled at Rose with a glint in her eye. She nodded at Rose again. “We could die,” she told her.

“We might not,” she replied. Rose liked her, she was brave. Martha led Rose to the veranda, passing patients crying and having fits on the floor. This was obviously a very traumatic experience for them. All of those sick and injured people came to the hospital to be cured, not sent up to the moon. They made it to the balcony and Rose looked at Martha nervously. 

“Ready?” She told her. Martha nodded.

“As I’ll ever be, let’s do it together.” Rose agreed. 

“1…” they said in unison, “2…3…” and the pair opened the doors and found themselves still able to breathe. They looked out and saw the Earth. In all her travels Rose never had time to acknowledge how pretty of a planet the Earth was.

“We’re breathing!” Rose cheered. 

“But how?” Martha asked. 

“Let’s not question a good thing.” Martha looked absolutely stunned as they bathed in the earthlight. 

“I’ve got a party later today, my brother’s 21st.” Martha had tears in her eyes. “My mum will be furious when she finds out,” she added, sadly. Rose knew what that was like. 

“You alright?” She asked, tapping Martha’s arm.

“Yeah, I’m fine,”

“You sure? We could go back in, if you’d like.” Martha shook her head. 

“Even if we’re on the brink of death, I’m not missing this for the world. Literally, it’s gorgeous out here.” Rose admired Martha. She wasn’t expecting something like this to happen to her. Rose and her little crew had been expecting something. Not this, but something and that feeling made all the difference. Martha was standing on the Moon with no prior knowledge of strangeness. That was definitely something to admire. 

“You really think so?” 

“How many people have dreamed of going to the Moon!” Martha exclaimed. “Now we’re here!”

“Gazing at Mother Earth and all her glory,” Rose finished. “What do you think happened?” Rose asked. Martha expelled a gasp. 

“Aliens, got to be. No way in god’s name it isn’t.” Martha took a breath. “A few years this was only out of fringe conspiracy theories, but after everything that happened in these past few years, it’s got to be extraterrestrial. This’ll just be added to the list of weird alien events. That spaceship flying into Big Ben, Christmas,” Martha took a pause. “Those Cybermen things,” she paused again. “I had a cousin, Adeola, who worked at Canary Wharf, she never came home.”

“I’m sorry, my condolences,” Rose told her. “I was there, in the battle,” Rose trailed off. “I lost so many people that day,” Rose didn't know why she was telling Martha this. She didn’t even know her. “Lost the love of my life,” she said quietly. 

“Rose, I’m going to get us out of here, no matter what. If we can get to the Moon then we can find our way back.” Just then Rose heard Shareen and Lucy calling for her. They joined Rose and Martha on the balcony. 

“Did’ya find anything?” Shareen asked. Rose grabbed a little rock or something on the ground and threw it. 

“Found something now, it’s a forcefield, it’s a bubble keeping the air in.” 

“But that means it’s the only air we’ve got,” Martha told the trio. Shareen looked around wildly.

“How many people are in this hospital?” She asked. Lucy hit Shareen lightly on the arm.

“You’re good at this,” Lucy told Shareen.

“Thanks! I guess I am!” She said, proudly.

“Guys!” Rose interrupted. Martha looked at them strangely. 

“There are probably more than 1000 people in this hospital.”

“1000 people are going to slowly suffocate,” Rose said, suddenly very aware of the danger they were all in.

“Why would anyone in their right mind do that?” A tremor came again and the four of them watched as spaceships descended onto the hospital.

“I suppose we’ll get to ask them ourselves.”

“Those are legit aliens!” Martha said. The three of them looked to Rose for some reason. She threw her hands in the air.

“Why’re y’all looking at me?” She asked. “You should be looking at Lucy. She's the half alien here!” Martha’s eyes widened and she looked at Lucy nervously. Lucy sighed and put her hands on her waist. 

“I’m not going to eat you, if that’s what you’re asking, and besides I grew up on Earth! I have no clue about any of this.” The four of them ran into the lobby where they got a good look at the aliens. They were wearing all black except for the fact that they wore a dome over their heads. There were hundreds of them entering the hospital. People were screaming. One of them took their dome off and started speaking a language Rose couldn’t understand, which was weird since the TARDIS let her understand all languages except Gallifreyan and some languages even older than the TARDIS herself. Rose frowned when one doctor approached the alien who looked like a rhino. He said something about how they welcomed them in peace. The rhino-man pushed him against a wall and examined him while checking for his language. 

“Designation Earth English, language assimilated,” he said, in a rough and gruff voice. “Species, human,” he added. The rhino-man marked him on the hand with an X. He barked orders looking for a nonhuman and sent the squadrons or whatever they were throughout the hospital. They all looked to Lucy. 

“This is not good, very very not good,” Rose said, quietly. “We have to protect Lucy.” They all stood up and ran. They ran through halls trying to avoid the rhino-men and Martha pulled open a door and let them all hide inside. Rose pulled out her sonic screwdriver and started scanning whatever she could find. She sat in a rolly chair and narrowed her hazel eyes.

“What are you doing?” Martha asked. 

“Scanning, but I think the rhinos have locked it down.”

“I can’t believe this is what the note was talking about!” Shareen exclaimed. “Rhino-men looking for an alien prisoner on the Moon!”

“Note?” Martha asked. Rose turned to Martha and set her hands in her lap. 

“I got a note on Christmas, it told me that we should go here this time. Shareen, Lucy, and I devised a plan to get in here last night. Shareen, we should’ve never taken Lucy along, now she might be imprisoned or something!” Rose exclaimed, in duress. 

“This was my choice to tag along, we’re going to be fine!” Rose stood up and nodded. 

“Yeah, we will, I’ve been through much worse than this, and Lucy you’re a scientist surely you can find some way to stay out of sight. Shareen and I can distract the rhino-men while Martha keeps watch,” Rose paused. “If you’d like to help, Martha, we won’t make you.” Martha nodded.

“I’ll help. Let me ask Dr Stoker if he’s any patient with unusual symptoms. Lucy can come with me.” Rose nodded.

“Looks like we have a plan, girls.” 

* * *

Lucy followed Martha to Dr Stoker’s office. “Dr Stoker?” Martha asked, as she opened the door they came face to face with two long figures dressed all in black. A foot was sticking out. The woman who grabbed Lucy earlier popped out with a straw in her mouth. She was drinking Dr Stoker’s blood. She was a plasmavore. 

“Kill the doctor, leave the other one!” She hissed. The two of them ran out of the office. Lucy frowned realizing what the old lady said. Kill the doctor could mean either one of them, they both looked like one. They ran as fast as they could into Rose and Shareen.

“We’ve found the real alien!”

“We’re in big trouble!” Martha and Lucy shouted at the same time. The Plasmavore’s lackey chased after all four of them and they all locked hands and ran. The masked figure chased them down the stairs. Lucy saw that the rhino-men coming up the stairs from the floor below. They ran down a bunch of hallways before landing into one with a bunch of big bulky medical equipment. Rose used her sonic to lock the doors. She took a deep breath. Lucy noticed that it was an x-ray machine.

“Rose! It’s an x-ray!” Martha realized what Lucy meant. The tall thing chasing them was trying to break in. Rose soniced up the x-ray machine while Martha scanned the manual. She looked for the right button to push, but they were taking too long. 

“Now!” Rose called. Shareen ignoring all ways of safety slammed on the first button they saw and the x-rays came out. Rose grimaced but stood her ground. The thing chasing them fell to the ground. Shareen tried to open the door to the control room. “Don’t!” Rose called. 

“Why not?” Shareen asked.

“I’ve increased the radiation by 5,000 percent.” Martha gasped. 

“Rose that’ll kill you,” Lucy said. “But you can’t die like this,” she pleaded. “This can’t be!” Rose started shaking and she sunk to the floor. 

“NO!” Shareen screamed. Lucy and Martha had to restrain her as she tried to leave the control room. Lucy couldn’t believe this was happening. Lucy knew Rose wasn’t supposed to die like this. How? Rose started screaming in pain. Lucy caught tears in Shareen’s eyes. Lucy looked over at Rose, who was still writhing in pain. The Glowing Eye of the Bad Wolf. The stories said it could make even the most fearsome of enemies tremble like chihuahuas. Lucy had only heard of it, but she’d never seen it. Light filled the room and Rose stopped screaming. Shareen broke from Lucy and Martha’s grip and ran to Rose. “Rose, can you hear me?” She asked. Rose smiled up at Shareen.

“I know what to do, remind me to thank the TARDIS later.” Shareen helped Rose up. “It’s safe to come out guys,” she told them. Lucy ran out and expelled what she knew to Rose. 

“She’s a plasmavore!” Rose’s brow furrowed. 

“Are you sure?” Lucy nodded with full conviction.

“It’s like I can feel that she is one. She’s definitely a plasmavore. I promise!” Rose looked for her sonic device. She grabbed it to find it broken. 

“It broke, this was a gift from the Doctor to me, and I broke it!” 

“Sorry, to interrupt but I suggest we run,” Martha said, pointing to the door. Rose nodded. 

“Let’s go!” She said, dragging everyone behind her.

* * *

Rose knew what she needed to do. What she just experienced was terrible, yet she saw so much. The radiation fed what was in her brain and now she was absolutely bursting with energy. They hid from the second minion. Which Rose now knew what called a Slab and passed by a bunch of patients and the med student she saw earlier. Rose knew soon they would run out of air. It was go time, she turned to Martha, Shareen, and Lucy. 

“You three stay here, I promise you’ll be fine. Do you trust me?” Rose asked Lucy. 

“Yes, now go!” Rose ran to the MRI room. There she was the plasmavore. She was holding a baby and hooking up wires to something. 

“There’s rhinos! Can you believe it!” She said, “It’s wild! Can’t believe it’s happened like this!” The woman turned to her third Slab. 

“Contain her,” she said. 

“That your granddaughter?” Rose asked. The Plasmavore didn’t find that question very kind and spit out a.

“Bah! No! She’s my daughter!” 

“Wow!” Rose exclaimed, pretending to be surprised. “That’s a modern medical miracle!” 

“For a human maybe,” she replied. The Slab finally got its hands on Rose and held her in place, hard.

“Are you not human?” She shook her head. “What are you doing anyway?”

“I will overload all the brainstems within 50,000 miles! Then my daughter and we will make our escape.”

“Won’t that kill you too?” Rose asked. 

“We’re safe in here,” she replied. 

“I’d be careful though, they haven’t scanned me yet, so they’ll be coming around soon. I heard the big chief rhino was getting upset that they hadn’t found the alien yet they were going to increase the scans up a notch.” Then the Plasmavore stuck a straw in Rose’s neck and tried to suck her dry. 

* * *

Shareen was getting real angry with Rose for going off on her own. At least she had been right about Lucy being fine, the scan took a while, but since they were looking for a full alien and not a half alien she was given compensation and they left. Shareen and the two others ran to Rose’s location. They all made it to the MRI room where they found the Plasmavore and Rose, who was lying cold on the floor. 

“No! Not again! Check her!” The rhinos scanned Rose. 

“Subject deceased, major nonhuman element.” Shareen paled, what happened to Rose. What were those tests Lucy was doing to her earlier for? 

“She killed her! Can’t you do something!” Lucy cried. 

“The Judoon have no jurisdiction over human crime.”

“She’s not human!” Martha called. “Scan her!” The Plasmavore showed her hand giving them proof of humanity with her X. 

“But I am! I’m human as they come!” Lucy stepped slightly forward. 

“I don’t think so, Mother!” She exclaimed loudly as she grabbed a scanner and shone it at the Plasmavore. 

“Nonhuman,” the Judoon said. They proceeded to take further testing and they found the truth. This was Lucy’s plasmavore mother. Shareen ran forward and stole the baby version of Lucy from her arms. 

“Plasmavore, you are charged with the murder of the Child Princess of Padrivole Regency 9.” 

“I did it, I did it for me and the baby! Her blood will make my daughter beautiful!” 

“You admit your crime!”

“I’m proud of it! Besides you all will burn with me!” She shouted as the Judoon fired their guns at her and her minion killing them both. Shareen handed the baby version of Lucy to Martha. 

“Keep her alive!” Shareen turned to the Judoon.

“She’s done something! She’s going to kill us all!” The Judoon ignored their cries for help and left the hospital.

“Rose,” Lucy called desperately. They were all feeling weak from the lack of oxygen. Soon they would all pass out. 

“Do CPR!” Martha cried out crying to sooth a now crying baby Lucy. Lucy did CPR on Rose while Shareen looked for the off button. She decided to go with her instincts again when she unplugged the red outlet. The MRI machine turned off. Shareen joined in on helping Lucy with CPR.

“Come on Rose! Come back!” Lucy called. 

“The Doctor would be furious if he found out we let you die,” Shareen told her. Just then, Rose shot awake.

“Did we win?” Rose asked.

“If the Judoon take us back to Earth in the next five seconds,” Shareen whispered, about to pass out. 

* * *

Rose found that they were very lucky. The trio escaped to the TARDIS where they were given medical treatment and the TARDIS spoke to her again. She also was given an official sonic screwdriver. It had a R inscribed on the bottom. The TARDIS made it especially for her. Which made up slightly for the fact that she broke the one the Doctor gave her.

“So, you survived,” she said. 

‘No thanks to you,’ Rose replied in her head. 

“And what was I supposed to do? I can’t fly without a program or a pilot and I didn’t have a pilot.” ‘Why couldn’t I talk to you?’

“You aren’t strong enough for it to work outside of me. I can only talk to you in the TARDIS,” she told her. 

“Rose,” Shareen got her attention, she was looking down at baby Lucy with concern on her face. “What happened to you today?” She asked. “The first time, not the second.” Rose took a deep breath. 

“The radiation was harmless to Time Lords, I’m obviously not a Time Lord like the Doctor was, but the radiation fed whatever was in my mind and it protected me. For the moment I was a lot more than human. We’ll have to see what’s in there before we can find out anything else.” Shareen rocked Lucy in her arms with an upset look on her face. “What’s wrong?” Rose asked. Shareen took a deep sigh and frowned. 

“I don’t really know you anymore,” she said, quietly. “All of this,” Shareen paused and used her head to motion to the TARDIS. “It’s made you different.” Rose thought back to the day of Canary Wharf. Her mother said something similar to what Shareen was saying. 

“Is that a bad thing?” Rose’s tone was equally as quiet as Shareen’s. Shareen shrugged her shoulders without dropping Lucy.

“I don’t know yet, you sacrificed yourself twice today to save people from aliens, that’s objectively a heroic thing,” Shareen added, “but you jump into danger so easily. Rose, you and I have known each other for so long, but if you died I would’ve been stuck on the Moon. You can’t do that.” Emergency Programme One popped into Rose’s head. The Doctor had set that aside for Rose incase of death, but she didn’t know if it still was able to be used. “Being on the TARDIS is incredible, but I can’t continue on with being here if there’s a high chance of you dying and me getting stuck on an alien planet or in the past or future, you understand?” Rose nodded.

“You’re right,” Rose relented. “I’ll be more careful next time.” Shareen sniffed, was she crying? She wiped a stray tear from her face and smiled at Rose.

“So what are we going to do with baby Lucy?” She asked. Lucy perked up at the mention of her infant self. 

“We take her home, to her father,” Rose told them. “It’s a circular paradox, we’re the reason Lucy meets her father and has the life she has.”

“It’s why you never told me anything because of this moment,” Lucy said, joining the conversation.

“Lucy who’s your father?” 

“Chandra Gupta,” she sighed. “Yes, I know it’s funny because of history. Let’s just get me to my dad.” 

So Rose did just that. Rose walked to the door of Chandra Gupta and knocked on the door holding baby Lucy in a baby carrier. A youngish Indian man opened the door and nearly slammed it shut when he saw Lucy. Rose grabbed the handle before he could close it. 

“Do you remember sleeping with an alien?” She asked, quietly of course. She didn’t want to make any of them feel crazy. He looked at her angrily, but when his eyes set on Lucy who the gang decided was probably around 2 months at most, the anger softened into a different emotion. It wasn’t acceptance, but it was better than rejection. He stepped outside and closed the door behind him with a sigh.

“Yes, I do, but she could change her appearance, how do I know you’re not her?” 

“You’ll just have to trust me, I suppose. The alien was killed today and from the sources I've gotten into contact with, they say she’s yours. I can’t take care of her, but she’s your daughter. I hope you’ll do the right thing.” Lucy started to cry and Rose tried to calm her down, but she was having no luck. Chandra reached out his arms. “You sure?” Rose asked. He nodded and Rose handed him his child. Lucy didn’t stop crying, but he had gotten her to quiet down.

“I live with my parents and grandparents, how will I explain this to them?” He asked. 

“Don’t?” Rose shrugged. “It's a little baby, I’m sure they’ll be ok with it. She won’t drink blood, but I recommend feeding her salty food.” Rose wrote down the number of the TARDIS and handed it to Chandra. 

“If you have any problems, call this number, someone should hopefully know what to do.” Chandra nodded and Rose said goodbye. It was time to take care of one more loose end. When Rose made it back to the TARDIS she flew them to Martha’s party with a wolfish grin on her face. Lucy looked to Rose with her eyebrows raised. 

“Why are we here?” Lucy asked. 

“I think we should thank Martha for being so cooperative today,” Rose said. “We would’ve died without her. We could take her on a trip, what do you think, Shareen?”

“I don’t know, we should ask Lucy for her opinion.” Lucy’s eyes widened. It was no secret of Lucy’s apprehension of Lucy, but Shareen’s willingness to ask her gave Rose hope. 

“Really?”

“After today, I think you’ve proven yourself worthy as part of the crew.” Lucy squealed with joy. 

“Be still my beating heart! Best birthday present ever!” Shareen and Rose’s eyes widened. 

“It’s your birthday?” She nodded. 

“Dad made it today since he didn’t know.” Rose facepalmed. 

“You said you didn’t know anything about today, was that a lie to preserve timelines?” 

“No, I was just happy not telling you because getting to travel with you guys was going to be a better present than anything dumb thing someone got me.”

“Let’s just go greet Martha!”

“She definitely deserves a trip,” Lucy said. The trio made it to Martha, they lured her over. She was dressed nicely for her brother’s party, though that didn’t look like it was going well. She walked over and looked at the trio funnily. 

“What are you three doing here?” 

“Thought we’d thank you for your help today,” Rose said. 

“What are you three?” Martha asked. 

“Well, Lucy is half plasmavore, but you knew that already and she won’t suck your blood, I’m 100% human, and the jury is out on Rose, but we’ll get the test results soon,” Shareen told her. 

“I’ve got a new sonic screwdriver, which is pretty cool if you bothered to ask about it, so we’re all good to go. If you would like to come on our spaceship?” Rose said, stroking the side of the TARDIS.

“Can’t I’ve got exams, besides won’t that be a tight fit?” Martha asked. Rose and company laughed. 

“Well, lucky for you it’s a time machine,” Rose told her. 

“No!” Martha gaped. 

“And it’s bigger on the inside!” Shareen said, giddly. Martha looked at them like they were crazy. 

“Prove it,” Martha said. The trio climbed back into the TARDIS and chased Martha down on Chancellor Street. Since Martha was somewhat unnerved by the nonhumaness of the crew Lucy walked over and opened her mouth. 

“See, no fangs!” The trio walked away laughing their butts off. That would hopefully prove it to Martha of the truth. They popped back out with Lucy keeping her mouth open laughing like hyenas. 

“You really are time travelers!” She exclaimed. 

“So,” Rose said. “Wanna come along?” Martha smiled widely and they welcomed her aboard the TARDIS.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the positive feedback! I'm delighted that people are enjoying what I've wrote. Fair bit of warning, Rose and her little team won't be going on the exact same adventures as the Doctor. This is Rose's story, not the Doctor's, so I think she should branch out a little and have her own adventures. A new enemy appears soon! One the Doctor has never had to face. 
> 
> Also, soon the title and the summary in the front of the story will be changing. I know this will be the second time I've changed the title, but when I originally wrote this story I had no title in mind, so I just placed a quote I liked and moved on. Now I've got a few in mind that will be decided before the next update. I will tell you that it's between 3 or 4 right now. (narrowed down from 6)
> 
> This was just to give you a heads up for when it changes!


	6. Who Are The Green Masques?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Martha gets taken on her first TARDIS trip. However it doesn't go to plan. How will they get out of this mess?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First episode deviation!

Martha wanted to be surprised, it turned out. Lucy was excited to go somewhere calming because the whole incident with the Judoon and seeing herself as a baby took a lot out of her.

“Let’s go to the beach! We can relax and play in the ocean.” 

“I don’t care where we go as long as it’s out of the Solar System. I’ve had enough of Earth for now,” Shareen said, looking at her nails. 

“Like I said, I want to be surprised,” Martha told the group. Rose looked in the book the TARDIS gave her when she went to pick up Shareen. She scanned the book and found the perfect planet. If only they could get there. The TARDIS was definitely a free spirit and Rose was not a very good driver. The Doctor wasn’t a very good driver and he had hundreds of years of experience to back him up. She was going to take them to Glacies, for a ski trip. Everyone liked skiing and besides apparently they had the best hot chocolate in the universe. Rose snapped the book shut and smiled. 

“I’ve got a place, it’s not exactly a beach paradise, but it’s nicer than anything Shareen and I had growing up.” 

“Oi!” Shareen barked. “They didn’t need to know that!” She said, hitting Rose slightly on the shoulder when she went to sit next to her. 

“Shareen, they probably knew already, let’s just focus on having a good time. I’m sure they’ll be plenty of cute aliens for you to gawk at,” she said returning the elbow.

“Not for you?” Shareen asked back, quietly. Rose shook her head. 

“I like my aliens two hearted, but well, since he was the last of the Time Lords I’m not going to be gawking at any of them. I’ll probably lounge by a hot tub and read a book. I’ve really gained an appreciation for the classics. Learning about historical figures is fun when you get to meet them.” Rose winked at Shareen. Rose started the drive to Glacies when she felt herself losing control of the TARDIS. Someone out there was calling for help and the TARDIS was not going to ignore it. 

_ “I’m sorry, Little Wolf, I wanted to give you some fun, but duty calls.”  _ Rose’s breath hitched as she felt them travel through time. Her brain buzzed the farther they went back. It wasn’t like this when she and Donna went back to the beginning of Earth, Rose wondered what more would be changing. What was wrong with her? Rose looked at the console as they landed. 

“Well, I know I told you we were going to a place with aliens, but I’m going to have to disappoint you again, Shareen, this isn’t Glacies. Welcome to Mexico 1694.” 

“Mexico?” 

“Technically it’s New Spain,” Rose told Shareen.

“1694? For real?” Martha said in shock. Rose walked to the doors of the TARDIS. She had never been to Mexico before. She hoped she knew how to blend in. She opened the doors and peeked out into the world. The sun wasn’t very high in the sky, but Rose didn’t think it was evening, probably just after sunrise. The TARDIS was on a hill overlooking a monastery or nunnery. Rose wasn’t sure which one. Rose smiled as she felt the sun on her face. They were still a long way from home, maybe this would be a good trip after all? Rose thought, ignoring what the TARDIS said to her. It didn’t hurt to dream. Rose closed the doors to the TARDIS and smiled at her friends.

“Get dressed ladies,” Rose said. “We’re going out!” 

“Get dressed? We don’t have anything to wear for 1694!” Shareen asked. Rose pointed down a hallway. 

“There’s a wardrobe down the hall, 3 doors down on the right.” Shareen smiled widely.

“Free clothes?” 

“Free clothes,” Rose responded. Shareen made a mad dash for the wardrobe. “I know we don’t exactly fit in, but I have psychic paper, it should hopefully get out of whatever trouble society believes we’re in.” Rose grabbed the psychic paper and showed it to Martha. “See? It should hopefully keep us safe.” Martha swallowed a breath and took the psychic paper from Rose. 

“This says you’re a Dame,” Martha said. Rose smirked with a laugh. 

“I am, I was knighted by Queen Victoria,” she said. 

“You were?” Martha asked. 

“Yeah, before I was ‘banished from her empire,’” Rose added a posh accent and air quotes at the end of her sentence. “But she’s dead,” Rose moved her mouth to the side of her face. “Or she wasn’t born,” she added. 

“You’re just more surprising every day,” Martha told her. Rose nodded. 

“I suppose, Shareen says I’m too interesting.” 

“Can anyone be too interesting?” Lucy asked. Shareen ran back dressed in 17th century Mexican clothing. 

“Guys! They’re so high quality!” Shareen exclaimed, spinning around in a coral dress. Rose laughed at Shareen’s excitedness. Rose remembered when she first got into 19th century garb during Christmas 1869. She felt like a princess. Lucy and Martha ran to the closet to get their new clothing. 

“You’re not getting changed?” Shareen asked as she walked to Rose. 

“No I will, but I’m coming up with a cover story. I don’t know if women can be knighted in this time period, so I’m trying to figure out what is the best equivalent,” Rose told her. Shareen twirled in flamenco fashion and shook her body.

“How about  _ Doña Rosa! _ ” She said, laughing while fluttering a pretty fan. “You can say your family fled from England as a baby and you decided you wanted to see  _ Nuevo España!” _ Shareen was enjoying playing dress up. She was Italian, so hopefully she would fit in fine in Mexico. Shareen shrugged, turning to Rose. “As long as you’re noble enough for them to respect you, but not noble enough to know who you are, it doesn’t really matter.” Rose closed her psychic paper and went to get changed into something that made her look rich. 

She found Martha and Lucy messing around looking for appropriate dresses. Martha looked absolutely dazzled by the amount of historical clothing. Lucy picked out a baby blue dress for Martha to try on and she grabbed a dress to change into and they sped out. Rose smiled, she was glad the two of them got along. It was very clear that Shareen and Rose would be good friends if Martha ended up staying with the crew. Which was very likely. They were currently 2 for 2 out of “people Rose took on the TARDIS once and joined the crew” which were Shareen and Lucy. The Doctor would probably freak if he found out how many people were on the TARDIS. Especially since he didn’t know them.

Rose grabbed a dress with purple embroidery to show wealth and got changed. The fabric was lightweight and shaped like a bell. She looked nice, but she wondered if she had money that would work in the Spanish Colonies. Rose scrambled in the pockets and threw her hands in the air when she found nothing. She expelled a frustrated breath and marched back to the control room. They would just have to go without money. They all looked appropriate for the time, but Rose wasn’t entirely sure of that. Rose had never been to Mexico before. Martha gave a small smile to Rose. 

“I can’t believe this is real.”

“You were just on the Moon,” Shareen snorted. Rose took a deep breath. It was time to rally the troops. 

“Let’s try not to interfere with any established events and just not mess anything up. Also we need to stick together. It’s not that I don’t trust you guys, but well, I don’t trust the Spanish rich people.” Martha nodded in agreement. 

“They still have slaves during this period, I really don’t want to get charted off.” 

“We won’t let anyone take you,” Shareen told Martha. “Rose would probably stab them or something. She nearly stabbed an alien outside my house. She definitely would claw a racists face off.” Rose agreed. Lucy opened the door and they walked out and took in the scenery. The early morning breeze made their dresses flutter in the wind. Rose looked for a path to town, but her eyes went back to the monastery. It had an air to it. Rose took steps down the steep hill trying not to fall. She knew what was happening. The TARDIS was telling her to go there. This was where the distress signal was coming from. Rose was pretending it wasn’t happening so Shareen, Lucy, and Martha could get a vacation, but that was wrong. Rose continued to walk towards the monastery almost as if she forgot that the three other young women were even there. There was something in that monastery. 

“Look out!” Someone screamed and in the shock Rose fell to the ground and tumbled down the hill. Rose tasted dirt and only came to a stop when she hit the walls guarding the monastery. The words jeopardy friendly escaped her lips before she blacked out. 

* * *

Shareen nearly fainted when she saw the masked beings descend from the forest on the edge of the hill. It was facing the other side of the hill, not the side of the monastery. They wore emerald green capes and white masks. Shareen was lucky they hadn’t strayed far enough from the TARDIS for them to make it back. Rose however was halfway down the hill. Someone shouted from the monastery to her. Not her, none of them shouted to Rose. It was like none of them could even speak. Time was dilating around them. Martha gripped Shareen and Lucy and ran back to the TARDIS.

“But Rose!” Shareen shouted. Martha looked back with tears in her eyes. 

“I know! But we can’t!” Martha slammed the doors of the TARDIS shut and she sunk to the ground. Lucy looked at Martha angrily.

“Why? Why did we leave her?” She spat.

“What good are we to Rose if we’re dead! Rose wasn’t hit by a blast, but if we were we would die immediately. Rose fell on the grass! I didn’t want to run either! But I panicked!” Martha’s head fell in her hands. Shareen turned to Lucy. 

“You know things, I know you do, since you were born recently you must be from the future or something. Does Rose die here?” Shareen asked. Lucy bit her cheek. 

“I can’t tell you,” she told them. “I would if I could, but I can’t.”

“Lucy! Please!” 

“Shareen! I can’t! It would violate so many rules!” Lucy’s voice broke. 

“That’s my best friend! If she dies we can’t get home!” Shareen rasped. “I can’t keep losing her like this! I can’t! She went missing for a whole year! I thought knowing what she was doing would make me feel better, but now I think I just feel worse. I’m so torn! I want to stay with her to make sure she doesn’t die! And I want to experience the adventure too! But how can I stay with her when she's just constantly going to get hurt or be on the brink of death!” Shareen was crying heavily at that point. Almost all of her hidden feelings were coming to the forefront now. She mentioned some of it to Rose earlier, but she didn’t know if Rose would ever take what she said to heart. Now they were all crying. 

“I owe my whole life to Rose! She rescued me as a baby and brought me to my father! Everything I am is because of her! I can’t even tell anyone about it! Rose was my hero growing up and I can never tell her! There’s so much I want to tell her, but I can’t because I could cause a paradox or something!” Lucy let out a scream and rubbed her hands on her head in frustration.

That was probably a long time coming. Shareen wondered why she was staying. Of course she loved being on a spaceship, but she also stayed because Rose was her friend for almost a decade and she felt like she needed to be there for her. That didn’t mean Rose didn’t infuriate Shareen sometimes. She really did. What was it like when Rose traveled with the Doctor? Did he throw himself into danger like her? Did she act the same? The trio of young women stranded out of time cried for a few more minutes until they finally got all of their emotions out. Lucy looked a little pale. She shook a little and started breathing heavily. 

“Lucy?” Shareen asked, moving towards her. Lucy was sweating all of a sudden and it wasn’t from the copious amount of fabric. “What’s wrong?” Lucy pressed her hands into her forehead and shook her head. Martha looked up from the floor and went right into doctor mode. She stood up and made Lucy sit down. 

“You’re half plasmavore, you need salt right?” Martha asked Lucy.

“How did you know that?” Lucy sounded like she couldn’t believe what Martha was saying. Shareen didn’t know that plasmavores needed salt.

“Your mother had a salt deficiency when she came to us. I made a hypothesis.” Shareen looked to both of them. Lucy was crying and tears were salty and since she was half alien she probably needed more salt than most normal people. Shareen ran to the kitchen and dumped a bunch of salt in a bottle of water. She didn’t know how much was too much, but well that didn’t matter. She would probably have to drink blood or something if she didn’t didn’t get this saltwater. Shareen tightened the cap and shook hard while walking back to Lucy and Martha. She was getting very weak. Lucy and Martha were sitting on the floor while Lucy was leaning on the console of the TARDIS. 

“Would saltwater do anything?” Shareen asked, holding the bottle above her head. Lucy’s brown eyes widened and she nodded like Shareen was about to satisfy her addiction. Shareen sped up her walking and thrust the water bottle in Lucy’s face. She clamored for the water and drank it like it was her lifeline. Shareen found that somewhat hard to believe considering it would take Shareen a lot longer to get dehydrated. Aliens were just different, she guessed. Lucy finished the water and took a big sigh. 

“I’m so sorry, all of this running for my life is taking a lot out of me.” Lucy sat up. “We have to go see if Rose is ok, but we don’t know what’s out there.” Shareen blew air in front of her face. 

“We could’ve seen if Martha hadn’t dragged us away,” she said, quietly. Martha fumed at Shareen.

“Hey! I did what I thought was best.” Lucy stood up with renewed energy.

“We’re never going to Rose any good if we sit around and complain about mistakes we already made.” She grabbed Shareen and Martha by the wrists and yanked them back to their clothes. “I won’t run for my life in a dress, I don’t know about you guys.” Shareen rolled her eyes and reluctantly changed into a fighting more suited for fighting mystery men. She said goodbye to her beautiful dress and frowned as she put it away. Lucy knocked on Shareen’s changing room door. 

“Yeah?” 

“I’m sorry for earlier,” Lucy’s voice came out in a whisper, but Shareen still heard it. “I was unloading some of my frustrations on you.” Shareen moved to the side of the door pulling a striped navy blue shirt over her chest. She pressed her ear to the door. 

“Lucy, what’s your story? Can you tell me?” 

“For some reason, when I was really freaking young my father and I ended up moving through time. I can’t really explain why, but Rose was there every step of the way. She always came when I needed her most.” Shareen opened the door and smiled at Lucy. 

“Good Ol’ Rose, she came when I needed her too. She always manages to do that.” Shareen’s smile turned into a smirk. “Rose hasn’t been there for you yet, so that means she lives, huh?” Lucy blushed and turned away. 

“Damn.”

* * *

Rose awoke in a hospital bed surrounded by nuns. One specific Sister was looking over her with a rosary. It was no longer day and Rose had a terrible pain in her head. What a great way to start an adventure. Wait, Rose thought as she scanned the room. There were only nuns. No sign of Martha, Shareen, or Lucy. There were beds lining the walls and all were empty except for the one Rose was laying down in. She shot up quickly, but that only caused Rose to get vertigo. The Sister looking over her rushed to Rose and got her to sit up more comfortably. 

“Please, young miss, you’ll only hurt yourself.”

“Where are my friends, the young women with me?” Rose asked. The Sister shooed away the other nuns away and looked at Rose seriously.

“Your friends are safe, they are back in your blue contraption.” 

“Who are you?” Rose asked. The nun looked at Rose suspiciously, but relinquished her name anyway. 

“I am Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz,” she told her. That felt familiar to Rose, but she couldn’t place it. “You must come from our prayers,” she assumed. It might not have been completely untrue though. If these nuns prayed hard enough then maybe the TARDIS would’ve heard them. She was telepathic after all. 

“I suppose so,” Rose replied. “What happened?” Rose winced from the pain in her head. Hitting your head against a wall really did a number on you didn’t it? 

“The Green Devils,” Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz said, “They appeared 4 days ago.” Sor Juana scowled. “We’ve lost so many Sisters, whenever someone tried to leave they were shot down by the Green Devils. They have us surrounded and now we’re stuck here.” 

“Well, now I’m here.” Sor Juana nodded, but she looked to her hands. 

“If only you had woken up earlier, it’s night time now. That’s when they get aggressive.” Rose patted her pockets looking for her sonic screwdriver. She started to get nervous when she couldn’t find it. Sor Juana pulled something out from her side and handed it to her. “Looking for this?” It was her sonic screwdriver. Rose grabbed it quickly and put it in her hidden breast pocket. 

“Thank you,” Rose told her. “What can I do?” Sor Juana stood up and held her hand out for Rose to take. Rose took the hand she stood up.

“We must protect my library. Here at the Convent of Santa Paula I have accrued a massive library and those masked devils are after it.” 

“Why?” Rose asked. Sor Juana scowl deepened. 

“I believe they are a manifestation of those who wish to take away my platform. After all, I am very controversial. They want to take away all I have worked for because I speak out about their double standards. However, I have stated this many times. If God did not want me to use my intellect then why did he give it to me?” Rose’s eyes widened when she realized who she was talking to. Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was a famous writer and playwright. She had to study her in school before Rose dropped out. She wanted women to be able to seek a higher education. She became a nun so she wouldn’t have to marry. She wrote a poem called “Foolish Men” that caused some debate in class. It was the most active that class had ever been. 

“What did you do specifically? Why now?” 

“It doesn’t matter,” Sor Juana responded. “The Archbishop is tired of me and soon I will have to pay penance.” Sor Juana lit a candle and handed it to Rose. “Take this, young miss, protect yourself from the dark.”

“It’s Rose,” she told Sor Juana, taking the candle. “That’s my name.” Sor Juana smiled at her. 

“Well, Rose, are you ready to help me defend my library?” Rose nodded and followed Sor Juana as she dashed through the hall. She was yelling for the Sisters to make their way to the library. “The Green Devils always find their way into the Convent! So we make our way to the library where they always strike!” If only Rose knew who these guys were. She frowned as she and Sor Juana made it to the library. The door was massive with heavy dark wood. Two Sisters were guarding the library without weapons but they had two candles in each hand. Sor Juana opened the door and let Rose enter first. Rose’s eyes widened when she saw the absolutely massive library. Books upon books upon books. Rose hadn’t seen such a large library outside of the TARDIS. All of the other Sisters were in the library as well. These were women of faith so they didn’t have weapons. 

This was not good. Over 100 women without women stuffed in a room with only one entrance and a window. They had no way of defending themselves. Rose had her sonic screwdriver but she couldn’t defend all of these people without knowing who she was fighting. 

“Sor Juana? Have you gotten a good look at your attackers?” Sor Juana nodded in response. 

“They wear a white mask and are covered in green. We managed to capture one 3 days ago, but when we removed the mask no one was there. Their form disappeared and the emerald green cape fell to the ground. Then people started dying. Dropping like flies.” Sor Juana was not made for this, she was a genius in politics and religion, but not for fighting. “There were more of us before last week.” 

* * *

Shareen and Lucy were looking for weapons while Martha was in charge peeking out the TARDIS doors every so often and looking for positions of the people who tried to shoot Rose.

“There are a lot of them!” Martha shouted. “Probably 20!” She ducked and slammed the doors shut quickly. Shareen came out with her hands on her hips. 

“No weapons, weird because I could’ve sworn I’d seen some the other day. When Rose and I were in the year 1008. I knew I saw some!” Shareen looked frustrated. 

“I’m an almost doctor so I’m all about doing no harm but maybe we can make our own? Flush them out?” Shareen smiled with wide eyes. 

“I could kiss you right now!” Martha shirked back, hesitation on her face. 

“No offense, please don’t.” Shareen laughed with a roll of her eyes. 

“Fine, but you’re missing out!” She turned in the direction of the hallway. “Lucy! Get over here!” Lucy came running. She changed into a sweatshirt and shorts and black trainers. 

“Did you find anything?” She asked. “I’m still coming up empty.”

“Do you smoke?” Shareen asked. Lucy shook her head, her dark hair shaking like a lion's mane. 

“No, why?” 

“I need a lighter.”

“Again, why?” Her voice was full of curiosity. Her eyebrows raised. 

“Where’s the fun in revealing everything all at once.”

* * *

Rose hoped everyone was ok back in the TARDIS. Rose had the most experience out of all of them and that meant she was best in a crisis. Martha was pretty good in a crisis too because of her doctor training. Shareen was ok in a crisis, she still shook and froze up at times, but she was still reliable. Rose wasn’t sure about Lucy. Lucy must’ve been good at lying if she lived in the past, present, and future. Rose prayed that they wouldn’t burn the TARDIS down or something.

* * *

“Ahhhhh!” The trio screamed as Shareen held a lighter to her can of hairspray. They came out guns or hairspray to lighter blazing. Hoping the TARDIS would be able to survive a little fire from the outside. After all, the TARDIS wasn’t actually made of wood.

“How did you know how to do this?” Lucy asked. “I knew, but I didn’t think you did.” She moved to the leaves of a tree setting them on fire. 

“I saw it on the telly when I was 16, always wanted to try it!” They were flushing them out of the forest. One by one the green thingys came out of the forest. They pointed their blasters at the three young women and in return Shareen nearly set one of them on fire. 

“Wow, you’re good at this,” Martha remarked. Shareen smirked happily.

“Thanks, now who are?” She said to the masques. The fire was growing larger and Shareen’s eyes kept shifting back to the TARDIS. Rose would kill them if anything happened to the ship. The masques said nothing. Instead the surviving masques surrounded them and held their blasters out. 

“That’s not good,” Lucy said, worried. Martha tried to shoot out more hairspray but it was empty. 

“I’m out,” she said. Shareen expelled a breath.

“Don’t look at me, only brought 3 bottles, didn’t think I’d need anymore.” One of the masques turned to the surviving ones and they ran off heading to the convent. 

“That’s new, I thought they were going to kill us.” Lucy looked to Martha and Shareen concerned. 

“Yeah, but they are going to  _ kill Rose! _ ” Martha shouted as they ran after the masques. The trio started to feel woozy, but continued with their plan to rescue Rose. 

* * *

Rose and Sor Juana were gathering anything they could find to help barricade against the Green Devils. Rose looked out the large window and it grew brighter in an instant. Rose’s eyes widened and her left eye started to water.  _ Not again, _ she thought. Rose ran to the large window and blinked trying to change the image. 

“They didn’t!” Rose said in disbelief. She squinted her eyes and tched. “They set the forest on fire!” Sor Juana ran over to the window. “Will it travel to the city?” She asked.

“No, and even if it does everyone will evacuate in time. I know this in my heart of hearts.” Rose wiped away the tear streaming down her face. “The Green Devils, they’re approaching the Convent!” Rose hissed. 

“Forgive me, Sor Juana, but do you happen to have a rope or a ribbon?” Rose asked Sor Juana. She pulled a ribbon from underneath her head covering and gave it to Rose.

“What for?” 

“Again, forgive me,” Rose told her as she grabbed a chair from Sor Juana’s desk and rammed it through the large window shattering in into pieces. A few nuns including Sor Juana gasped. A large piece fell inside and Rose grabbed it carefully. However, Rose was still handling glass and it wasn’t like she was invisible. The large sharp piece cut into the sides of her fingers. Rose set it on Sor Juana’s desk and grabbed another wooden chair. 

“Does this count as sinning?” Rose asked. Sor Juana shook her head. 

“If you’re doing it to save us then I’m pretty sure our lord will give you a break.” Rose used all of her strength to dislodge a leg from the body of the chair. 

“I know this is a Convent, but someone has to defend you all.” Rose stuck her tongue out as she worked to connect the glass and the chair leg with Sor Juana’s hair ribbon. She sighed as her makeshift spear was completed. Rose needed to get the nuns out of the Convent and to safety immediately. Glass was on the other end of the window so they couldn’t escape through there. Rose heard screaming outside and stretched her head out of the window as much as she could without cutting her neck on the remaining glass. There were her companions. Chasing the Green Devils with… what were those things? Hairspray and lighters? Rose took a big sigh. Boy were her friends crazy. 

“It looks like the End of Days out there,” Sor Juana told Rose. Rose shook her head. 

“The End of Days will look much worse,” Rose said with no hint of hesitation. The End of Days would come and it would destroy them all. The familiar headache came to Rose and filled her head with thoughts. She let out a screech trying to relieve herself of the pain. It wasn’t as bad this time as she remembered. The knowledge of what was to come, however, made it worse, in a way. That everytime she was in a crisis that sure, maybe she would be able to get out of it, but she would have to suffer immense pain. Was going on all of these adventures and meeting the Doctor and the TARDIS worth all of the pain in her head? 

_ Yes, _ yes it was, it didn’t matter that she would have to suffer a little bit every adventure. She always did that anyway. Why would she even think that? Rose was better because of the Doctor. Rose was a person she could be proud of because of the Doctor. Rose felt pure love because of the Doctor. No way in any universe she would change it. 

“Rose!” Sor Juana exclaimed, coming to her side. 

“You said they were after your library and soon you will have to pay penance. What did you do?” She asked. “Please don’t say it doesn’t matter, we need to know. I can’t stop these Green Devils unless you tell me what you did.” Sor Juana gave a sad scoff.

“Someone I knew published a private critique I did of a sermon. Started a wave of backlash that I couldn’t stop. They want me to sell my books.” Sor Juana put her head in her hands. “I just wanted to get a higher education. I wanted to learn as much as I could and I wanted to remain single. I became a nun for that reason. Now they’ve finally had enough of _ I, the worst of all women _ ,” she said. 

“That’s good,” she complimented. 

“Thank you,” Sor Juana replied. “At least they can never take my defiance.” Rose was desperate, looking for a way for Sor Juana to be able to keep her library. It seemed silly for her to want to keep a library, but Rose knew exactly how that would feel. It was like someone took away the TARDIS. Or when she lost the Doctor. They were trying to take away the only thing that mattered to Sor Juana, her freedom to have knowledge. Her freedom was this library, just like how Rose’s freedom was the TARDIS.

“Give me your library,” Rose told Sor Juana. “The Green Devils are after it but I doubt they’ll survive the Vortex. You can trust me with your books,” Rose put on a comforting tone. “They’ll stay in my ‘blue contraption’ for all of eternity. Always someone to read them.”

“Really?”

“I promise you, they’ll be put to good use.” Sor Juana looked at all of her books. Her massive library that she had spent years building up was about to go. The Green Devils made their way banging on the door. Then Rose heard flames. She didn’t know how she heard them, but she did. The whooping of her familiar friends. Rose ran to the door and pulled it open and there they were. Her three friends, Shareen had a wild grin on her face, Lucy looked downright terrified, and Martha, well Martha looked absolutely bewildered. There were no Green Devils near them. Where were they? They had the place surrounded and even with the fire how did they make it to the Convent?

“Rose!” Shareen shouted excitedly, dropping a lighter on the ground. She wrapped Rose up in a tight hug. “You have to stop dying and/or going missing on me!” She said, breaking away and hitting Rose on the arm. “It’s really infuriating! As your current right hand!” She barked. “I declare the next place we go is home!” Rose let out a laugh in relief. She peered behind Shareen. 

“What happened to all the Green Devils?” Rose asked. “There aren’t any around? Why isn’t there anything else on fire?” Lucy looked at Rose suspiciously with flattened lips. Martha’s bewildered face turned into a cruel smirk. 

“I suppose we’ll have to try again.” That wasn’t Martha’s voice. Instead one single dark voice came out from all three of them. Martha rose her hand up and snapped her fingers. 

Rose took a deep breath as she tried to come up with an idea on how to save Sor Juana’s library. After all, Sor Juana needed her freedom. 

“Rose?” Sor Juana asked. 

“Yes?”

“Doesn’t this feel familiar? I could’ve sworn we’ve done this before.”

“What do you mean?” Rose asked back.

“Well, the rope on the spear has been tied for ages.” A knock came at the door. Rose knew it was her friends immediately. Rose dropped the spear she built onto the stone floor and it shattered. She ran as quick as she could and opened the door ready to wrap her friends in a hug. However, it wasn’t her friends outside like she thought. It was three Green Devils. One of them looked to the other two and Rose was back at her spear. She frowned as the weight of the world started literally weighing on her shoulders. Her head ached again, it never ached twice in the same adventure. Same day, yeah, but never in the same adventure. This headache was far worse. Energy was trying to expel itself from her head harder than ever before. It pounded on her skull and she let out not just a screech, but a cry as well. The pressure wouldn’t let up. This was the longest she had ever had one of her headaches. 

“Rose!” She didn’t even hear who said that. It was blurry. How could voices be blurry? What was going on? Finally a word broke through to her mind. 

_ Fake. _ The word was fake. This was all a lie. However her pain was not. Rose screamed louder. She needed some way to expel or she was afraid her brain was going to hemorrhage. 

“Rose, open your eyes,” a familiar voice came at her from all directions. “Please, you just have to  _ open your eyes!” _ Rose’s eyes shot open with a name on her lips. 

“Doctor!” 

The environment around her was different. There were no nuns and certainly no Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. They were in a sterile white room. Rose was strapped to a table and the three other members of her quartet were silent in a corner. All around her were cloaks and masks that hit the floor. No sign of the Green Devils. Martha stood up the quickest and freed Rose from her bounds.They were all dressed in white long sleeved shirts and white pants. They looked like patients.

“What happened?” Rose croaked out. Her voice was raspy from screaming. 

“As soon as we landed you hit your head after falling. They snatched us up immediately.”

“Where’s the TARDIS?” 

“The TARDIS is fine, we didn’t let them get to it. Their whole plan was to get in the books and get taken into the TARDIS by you and then hijack it. The TARDIS is here with us, but they didn’t manage to get into it.”

“Where or when are we?” 

“We’re still in Mexico, but they’re aliens so they have more advanced technology.” Martha helped Rose sit up. “Let’s get back to the TARDIS.” Martha bit the inside of her cheek. “How did you do that?” She said motioning to the capes on the ground. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Your eye was glowing, but as soon as you opened your eyes the energy shot out and vaporized the Masques.”

“R-really?” Her voice came out in a breath. Shareen and Lucy helped Rose to the TARDIS which was down a hall and to the right. 

“We need to get those test results as soon as possible,” Lucy joined in the conversation while Shareen stayed silent. Rose unlocked the TARDIS and she nearly collapsed to the ground in relief. 

_ “I’m so sorry Little Wolf,” _ the TARDIS said in her mind. 

‘I don’t care, I’m just glad you’re safe.’ Lucy ran off to the lab yelling about the tests and how they should’ve all been done at this point. Rose just laid there on the TARDIS floor. Martha joined Lucy in the lab and Shareen sat down next to Rose. 

“You really worried me,” Shareen told her. “Screaming like that, I don’t know if my heart will be able to handle it any longer if you keep getting hurt. Was it like this when you traveled with the Doctor?” Rose shook her head. 

“I mean sure, we were in danger often, but I always had this faith in my mind that he would be ok. I had complete and total trust in him.” Rose sat up and leaned on Shareen. “I know this is still all new to you, but we’ll get through it. I know you think I’m really different now, but I don’t wanna do this without you.”

“Why?” 

“Think about it,” Rose told her. “I couldn’t become the person I am now without traveling around and saving the world. I got out of the Estates and I want you to get the same opportunity.” Rose gave Shareen a slight smile. Shareen rolled her eyes with a return smile on her lips. “We aren’t just chavs from the Estates, we can save the world too.” 

“Hush, you big softie, let’s go get the test results, we don’t want you dying on us.” Shareen stood up and pulled Rose up with her. They walked over to the lab where Lucy was pouring over the test results. Her long dark hair was now tied up messily behind her. Martha was cleaning off some of the equipment and the computer. 

“Rose!” Her eyes wide with energy. “I figured it out!” 

“You know what’s in my head?” Lucy nodded quickly. “What is it?”

“Time Shrapnel!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Since Coronavirus has cancelled school for the next three weeks I'm going to have a lot of free time to write and work on this fan fiction as I please. Next chapter has the Doctor in it! So if you missed him, don't worry! He's back!


	7. Time Shrapnel?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finally find out what's going on in Rose's head and what the Doctor has been up to since he got stuck in Pete's World.

“What is Time Shrapnel?” Rose asked Lucy, sitting down on one of the medical beds. Shareen stood behind Rose with her hands in her pockets. Lucy set down the printouts from the TARDIS. 

“I looked it up and apparently it’s exactly what it sounds like. Pieces of Time are stuck in your head.” Rose gaped at Lucy. Shareen gripped Rose’s shoulder. “I don’t know how Time got there in the first place.” Rose looked at Lucy suspiciously. 

“I’m not sure I believe you. Your reaction when I told you my eye was glowing says otherwise.” Lucy reddened and looked away.

“Yeah!” Shareen added. “You were born in 2008, so you have to know more than what you’re letting on!” Shareen took her hand off Rose and looked to her. “And you! You have Time in your head?!” Rose sighed and folded her hands in her lap. Martha, who barely knew anything about anyone at this point just looked confused. She was probably the second smartest person in the room, but Rose didn’t think she was able to follow along. Lucy had all of this knowledge from the future, and Shareen had been on a couple TARDIS trips on this point and hopefully had picked some things up, but Martha, she was kidnapped on her reward trip. Rose needed to remind herself to take her on a better trip. To apologize for how terrible this one went.

“I mentioned I grew up all over the place because I was being chased plasmavores,” Lucy relented. “But that’s not true.” Rose looked up from her hands. Her eyebrows raised when Lucy confirmed her lie. “However, I can’t spoil your future. I can’t erase the things I know from existence. You told me that. That you made mistakes trying to change the past and that you wouldn’t let me do that as well.” Rose paled from the memories of her saving her father’s life. When did she tell her that? Was this a quote from Future Rose? She nodded and pushed her hair back. 

“Ok, I won’t ask you to explain since clearly this mess is too complicated in the first place.” Rose turned to Shareen. “I think I know how Time got into my brain, but you have to promise not to get mad.” Shareen frowned and folded her arms. 

“You aren’t going to tell me unless I promise?” Rose nodded and Shareen sighed. “Fine, I promise I won’t get mad at you. What did you do?” 

“Rushed into danger,” Rose gave a cheeky smile. “I needed to save the Doctor and the rest of humanity,” she paused. “If you can believe it,” Rose added nearly silently. 

“Oh, I believe it,” Shareen said with a humorless laugh. “Rose Tyler, saving all of humanity recklessly. Sounds just like you.”

“But what did you do?” Martha asked. “How did you get pieces of Time itself stuck in your brain?” Rose sighed. 

“Looked into the Time Vortex and I became an entity to save the Doctor. I called myself Bad Wolf. No one is supposed to look into the Time Vortex, but I did anyway. It nearly killed me, but the Doctor saved me. He told me that in that moment I saw all that ever was and all that ever could be, but I’ve locked the memories away. I’ll never see them again.”

_“That’s true to an extent, Little Wolf.”_

‘What do you mean?’ 

_“How do you think you know what to do? A bit of me and a bit of you and all Bad Wolf.”_

‘I’m the reason I’m seeing the future?’ 

_“It’s also how you’re able to talk to me.”_

‘Why now?’ Rose asked the TARDIS. ‘I’ve had Time in my head for what a year at this point? Why am I only experiencing this now?’

“Rose?” Shareen’s voice broke Rose from her conversation with the TARDIS. “Are you ok?” 

“Yeah, I was just talking to the TARDIS,” Rose said, plainly. Shareen, Lucy, and Martha gaped at her. 

“W-what?” Shareen stammered. Martha’s eyes widened and she sat down on one of the other beds. “You can talk to the TARDIS?” 

“I thought being sent to the Moon was weird, I also thought being kidnapped by ghosts in white masks was weird too, but this takes the cake,” Martha whispered. “She glows and talks to a ship.”

“Martha?” Lucy asked. 

“Yeah?” Martha responded, looking at Lucy. 

“Not helping,” she whispered with emphasis. 

“What do you mean, you were talking to the TARDIS?” Shareen asked. Rose frowned and felt the air in the room change. 

“I realized I could understand her before we went to Royal Hope. I just kind of noticed she was in my head, said she hadn’t been there long. Said she had just been there since… since… since well,” Rose paused trying to get on track. “Since I lost him.” Shareen and Lucy knew Rose was talking about the Doctor. Probably felt like he was dead, they assumed. Martha however didn’t have the same foreknowledge as the pair and asked her unspoken question.

“Who?” Shareen paled and looked to Rose. Rose teared up in her left eye, but she wasn’t sure if it was because of the Time Shrapnel or her emotions. She wouldn’t have been surprised if it was both. 

“Remember when we were on the veranda?” Martha’s face dropped. “This was his spaceship and he’s the reason I looked into the Time Vortex. He was called the Doctor, as you can tell. I loved him,” she said quietly. “I still do.” Rose swallowed saliva and stood up. “I think the reason I can talk to the TARDIS is because she’s how I looked into the Time Vortex.”

 _“Very good, as to your question earlier. These specific pieces of Time had other halves. When they were together they didn’t react. Those halves are gone now.”_ Rose’s eyes widened. The Doctor took the Time Vortex out of her. Did he have the other halves? _“Yes, he does.”_

“Oh my!” Rose exclaimed. She felt her friends’ eyes on her, but she continued her conversation with the TARDIS. ‘Is he ok? Does he have the same headaches as me?’ She could feel the TARDIS shake her head. 

_“I can’t tell, Little Wolf, I have no idea what he is doing in the alternate universe.”_ The TARDIS left off something, but Rose knew not to pry. The TARDIS knew things Rose could never know and she was ok with that. 

“Rose,” Lucy said. “You were screaming really intensely during your last glowy episode. I really think the Time Shrapnel is dangerous.” Martha finally looked like she was following along. 

“I think the word shrapnel proves how much of a danger you’re in.” Martha grabbed a stethoscope and checked her heart rate. The cool metal pressed into Rose’s chest. Martha’s lips flattened as she listened to Rose’s heart. She took the stethoscope away and shook her head. 

“I feel fine now,” Rose told her. 

“Lucy showed me some of your scans from your MRI and it’s this Time Shrapnel is trying to escape your head! It’s not going to just ask to leave your head politely.” Lucy nodded, backing Martha up.

“The TARDIS memory banks state that Time Shrapnel is incredibly dangerous. It could kill you, Rose.” Rose glanced at Shareen who was staring at the floor. Rose looked back to Lucy and Martha. 

“The thing is, I’ve already had this stuff in my head for like a year. If it was going to kill me then why didn’t it kill me when I was traveling with the Doctor?”

 _“You know the reason,”_ The TARDIS told her. The reason being that two halves of a whole were trying to reunite. She would probably never be safe until the Doctor returned. 

‘I know that! I’m just trying to put Shareen at ease,’ she thought back to the TARDIS. 

“Rose,” Shareen said quietly. “What are we going to do?” Rose took a deep breath. 

“Well, right now I think we should all get some sleep. I’m so tired I think I could pass out, and we’ll discuss this more when we’re all well rested. Sound ok?” Shareen sighed, but nodded. She and everyone else was completely exhausted. Rose had barely slept and she definitely needed to. “I’ll show everyone to their rooms.” 

“Rooms?” Martha asked. Lucy nodded with a smile. 

“The TARDIS is sentient, she’s got a room for each of us. I’m sure she’s made a temporary room for you by now, since you aren’t staying,” Lucy told Martha. Martha looked put on the spot but didn’t disagree. Rose was hoping she would. 

“Hopefully the beds will be better than when we went to 1008,” Shareen said. “It was just straw in a bag last time.” Shareen huffed. “Rose didn’t even sleep.” Rose grimaced remembering 1008. The smell of dirt and grass and the threat of Normans constantly over their heads. That terrible mattress was the least of their problems, but Rose and Shareen hated it the most. 

“Trust me, the TARDIS has the best mattresses in the Local Group,” Rose told them, referring to part of space that Earth was located in. Humans wouldn’t be able to leave the Local Group without technology like the TARDIS for thousands of years. The Local Group was constantly moving away from the other parts of the universe. It was sad that so many humans would never be able to experience something so special as leaving the Local group for the first time. “Come on, let me show you,” she said with a smile. 

* * *

The Doctor spent every single day in his lab. He, Mickey, and a couple other scientists he didn’t bother learning the names of trying to figure out how to get back to Rose. Every day he had the same thought. How could he lose her? How could he lose his grip like that? The Doctor was whipping himself into the same cycle. He was the Doctor! He thought. He was the Oncoming Storm! She promised him forever, but he couldn’t promise her the same. He was barely spending any time with Jackie or Pete. He didn’t even have his favorite coat. Janis Joplin gave it to him. He loved that coat and he loved Rose. He wondered if Rose had even noticed it on the TARDIS. His mind was thinking too fast for this world. The Doctor shut out almost all distractions. He even hid his headaches from everyone. He would find out the cause on his own. The TARDIS would’ve been able to tell him as soon as he did tests. 

“What have you got for me, Mickey?” The Doctor asked, when he felt a tapping on his shoulder. He refused to look back. He was too busy looking at atmospheric readings. It had been six months since Rose’s call and nine months since Jackie and the Doctor got stuck in Pete’s World.

“Doctor, we’ve got nothing. Dr Taylor and Dr Gupta are tired and have to get back to their families. I’m heading back too. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. We’ll be back tomorrow.” The Doctor waved his hand in Mickey’s face, shooing him off. Mickey frowned and rolled his eyes. He soon left with Dr Taylor and Dr Gupta, leaving the Doctor to stew in his own thoughts and readings. Pete hired Dr Taylor and Dr Gupta after Rose’s transdimensional phone call. He wasn’t sure which one was which. To him it was just the Female Scientist and the Male Scientist. 

The Doctor’s lab was just Pete’s old guest house. Soon he would be traveling to where the phone call apparently came from to investigate. Bloody Norway. The Doctor didn’t care how much he had to travel to get Rose back. He _would_ get Rose and he _would_ get the TARDIS and everything would be all right again. He had to believe that or he wouldn’t be able to function. The Doctor knocked some papers off his desk by backing into it. He scowled as he knelt on the floor to pick up the papers. The Doctor felt the cool tile seep into his knees. He grabbed a folder by its end however and let all of its contents slip out. The Doctor scoffed and groaned as he started to look through the papers on the floor. His eyes scanned the glossy paper he recognized as photographs. He picked up the darkest one off the floor and examined it. 

Scans of the Doctor’s brain. The Doctor went pale. How did they have scans of his brain? He never had an MRI. The Doctor looked at the photo. There were pieces of something there. Right behind where his right eye would be. It wasn’t cancer, he knew what tumors looked like. This was similar to Huons or even the Time Vortex. As much he would’ve liked to stay there and ponder what was in the images of his head he realized he probably had more to deal with. They were taking pictures of his head. They were spying on him! The Doctor hated a lot of things and being monitored was definitely on the list of things he hated. He stood up and raced to the main house. 

“Jackie! Pete!” He called loudly. Were they in on this? Or was this done behind their backs? He pulled open the heavy door and ran throughout the house looking for either one of them. The brain scan still in his hand. He found Jackie sitting on the sofa breathing heavily. “Jackie!” The room was dark and he could barely see her. 

“Hello Doctor,” she said, quietly. “What,” she took a deep breath, “What brings you here? Mickey said you were going to work in the lab longer.” The Doctor set the brain scan right in front of her. 

“Where’s Pete?”

“On a business trip, he’ll be back soon.” The Doctor frowned and turned the lights on. Bright light filled the room and he could see her clearly now. She was wearing a purple tracksuit and was very large. How had she not noticed that she had gained so much weight? Pete must’ve been spoiling her with expensive food. Then it hit him, Jackie was pregnant. Which meant he was an idiot. Notoriously slow in some circles. 

“You’re pregnant?” He said in disbelief. “H-how?” Jackie looked at him in shock. “Nevermind, I don’t want to know.”

“I think I’m in labor, Doctor.” The Doctor fell into the chair by the sofa.

“Where is Pete? Do you need me to call him?” Jackie shook her head. She had no makeup on. She aged back five years. She was pregnant with Rose’s sibling and Rose didn’t even know.

“No, I just did, he’ll be here soon.” 

“You must be at least eight months,” the Doctor mumbled to himself. She nodded and crossed her arms. “Were you pregnant during our call with Rose?” Again, Jackie nodded. “Why didn’t you tell her? Why did you let me talk to her?

“I didn’t know, I was maybe eight weeks at the time, I was barely pregnant.” Jackie gasped in pain. She was having a contraction. The Doctor’s face lost all color. She really was in labor. Rose’s mother was in labor and she didn’t even know. She didn’t know how her mother was about to give birth to a sibling Rose might possibly never meet. 

“I’ll drive, we’re going to a hospital immediately.”

“I’m not having him without Pete.”

“Him? And why? You’re 40, Jackie, pregnancies are higher risk when older women are pregnant.”

“I know that!”

“Then why won’t you let me take you to a hospital?” Jackie shook her head. 

“Pete needs to be here, I’m not going anywhere until he arrives! And you can’t make me go!” The Doctor shook his head and sighed. 

“Fine, but when you regret this don’t blame me.” Jackie scoffed and rested her hands on her large baby bump. 

“You know I will, what’s the point in pretending I won’t.” Jackie screamed in pain. 

“How long have you been in labor?” The Doctor exclaimed. The contractions were getting close together. She was about to give birth on the sofa. 

“I don’t know! A while?” 

“Jackie, if we don’t get you to the hospital you will give birth right now.” Jackie was sweating heavily and she gasped. 

“No!” The Doctor stood up. He was so daft! He should’ve insisted immediately, but now Jackie was going to give birth in their living room. 

“I’m going to call Pete and get some sheets, take your pants off,” he demanded. Jackie gasped again. “I know how to deliver an infant, Jackie!”

“I will not!”

“Jackie, that baby is coming out one way or another! Now take off your slacks and pants so your son doesn’t get stuck!” The Doctor turned around and went to call Pete. He dialed his number and waited for Pete to pick up. 

_“Hello?”_

“Jackie is giving birth on the sofa! I am delivering your child in about five minutes! So I recommend you get here as soon as possible, toodaloo!” The Doctor hung up the phone and grabbed some clean sheets from the closet. He then scrubbed hard at the sink up to his elbows. This needed to be a sterile birth. When he got back to Rose she would kill him if anything happened to her baby brother. The Doctor paused, letting the water run over his hands. He looked in the mirror. Would he look like Rose? The Doctor took a deep breath and ran back to Jackie who was screaming about her contractions. 

Then he proceeded to deliver a baby. There was a lot of shouting. Jackie was in considerable pain and wouldn’t stop screaming expletives at the top of her lungs. She hated Pete, she hated the Doctor, she hated her stupid baby, and so many other things the Doctor lost count. In the end however, even though she was at home without any standard medical procedures, Jackie Tyler delivered a healthy baby boy. Pete came home right after his son took his first cry. Pete arrived with another doctor in tow to take care of Jackie. The benefits of being rich, he supposed. 

The Doctor took a sigh as he swaddled Anthony “Tony” Tyler. The Doctor knew at that moment he had to protect Tony just like Rose would’ve. He would never let Tony go a day without hearing a tale of his brilliant big sister. Who was probably off saving the world somewhere. That was how he became Tony Tyler’s glorified babysitter and how he finally got his head out of his research for the first time in nine months.

* * *

Rose sighed as she laid in bed. Her room looked different now. Ever since she and the Doctor were separated she needed the change and the TARDIS was willing to provide that. She was happy that Martha enjoyed her room. The TARDIS wasn’t her biggest fan yet, but at least her room was nice. Like a high class hotel with all the basic amenities. Martha looked happy just to lie down on a bed. Today was stressful and Rose didn’t forget to recommend a soak in the tub. Martha smiled at her and nodded. Rose left Martha to relax and went to check on Shareen and Lucy. The pair of them were fine and were settling into the TARDIS quite nicely. Rose kept thinking about what Shareen kept saying to her.

“How can I keep this up?” She whispered to herself. Rose hated watching the Doctor throw himself into danger. She knew that he needed to save people though, so she would also jump into adventure with him. Rose liked all of them. She knew she wouldn’t be able to keep this up by herself. The Doctor needed people, that was why he had companions. If the Doctor only needed one or two, then Rose probably needed three or four to be able to keep up. She wasn’t scientifically gifted and her medical knowledge was barebones. She needed people like Martha and Lucy. Shareen was like Rose in the fact that she wasn’t great at science and had never had the most privileged upbringing. Shareen was traveling with Rose for far more personal reasons. Rose needed a confidant who she could talk to about anything without having to catch them up on her past. 

Shareen was her oldest friend and she wasn’t about to let her go so easily. Well… that sounded harsher in her head than she thought it did. If Shareen really wanted to leave then Rose would take her home, but Rose was hoping that maybe they could have a few good years on the TARDIS together. A knock came at Rose’s door. 

“Who is it?” Rose asked, as she got up and went to her dark wooden door. 

“‘S me, Martha.” Rose opened the door to find Martha with a nervous look on her face. She looked to the floor of the TARDIS. 

“What’s wrong?” Martha took a deep sigh and Rose invited her into her room. Martha sat at the end of Rose’s comfy bed and Rose sat next to her. “What’s on your mind?”

“I think I want to go home,” she said. Rose bit the inside of her cheek lightly, trying to quell her disappointment. 

“I see, do not like the traveling? I know this trip went pretty sour. I can make it up to you!” Rose said, trying to keep Martha on board. 

“It’s not that,” Martha expelled a loud breath. “Seeing you on that table screaming and glowing was just awful,” she told Rose, with a hitch in her voice. “I loved what we saw in 1694.” Martha laughed in awe. “I actually traveled to 1694! It was amazing! But we all hated seeing what happened to you.”

“Well, if you really want,” Rose said, “I’ll take you home. I was really hoping you would stay, though. You’re really smart and you got on great with Lucy. I think it’s going to take Shareen a little bit longer for her to warm up to her, so I was glad she had a friend besides me.” 

“I just need to think about it. I was always going to leave eventually anyway. I’ve still got my exams.” Martha stood up. “Seeing what happened to you really made me miss my mum, do you mind if we take a pitstop back to 2008? That way I can think about whether or not I want to stay.” Martha paused, looking for something to add to the sentence. “Shareen mentioned her mum a little bit too. I’m sure she’d like to see her!” Rose nodded. 

“Ok, I’ll do it. Just go get some sleep and we’ll take you back home after everyone has rested up. Sleep well, Martha Jones!” Rose told Martha, channeling the Doctor. It made Rose think. Was whenever he lifted his voice in excitement a coping mechanism to hide when he was let down? Rose noticed how Martha’s eyes drifted to a picture on Rose’s dresser. She didn’t know how it got there. She didn’t think anyone had a picture of all of them. Rose stood up and went to the photograph. It was a picture of Jack, Mickey, her, and her first regeneration of the Doctor. It was when they caught Blon Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen. Rose saw the light of the Heart of the TARDIS for the first time. It was them sitting around a table eating lunch. It was the eye before the storm. Jack was off rebuilding the Earth, Mickey was in Pete’s world, and the _Doctor?_ He died, the Doctor she knew then died, never to be seen again. Of course she equally loved the Doctor she gained, but that didn’t change the fact that she missed the one she lost.

“Who are they?” Martha asked reluctantly. Her voice was quiet. Martha could tell from how Rose looked at the picture that it was a bittersweet memory. Rose smiled widely. She pointed to Jack first.

“This is Captain Jack Harkness, we met in the London Blitz. I was hanging off a barrage balloon. This is Mickey,” Rose said, pointing to him. “Mickey Smith, he was a good friend of mine.”

“He’s cute!” 

“He’s also my ex boyfriend.” Rose watched Martha’s face deflate.

“Ohhhh,” she said, quietly. “Then I don’t think he’s cute anymore.” Rose snorted. 

“Don’t worry, I was the bad part of our relationship. Mickey is a great guy. I just wish I was better to him while he was here,” Rose’s voice trailed off. She pointed to the Doctor. “And there he is, my Doctor.” Martha frowned looking at Rose’s Doctor in leather. 

“No offense, but he’s not very fit. Lots of ears, not a lot of face.” Rose’s cheeks grew hot.

“He doesn’t look like that anymore! Besides, personality is far more important!” Rose said, ready to defend his honor. “And the Doctor is incredible! No matter what body he’s in.”

“What happened to them?” Martha asked, not sure if she actually wanted to know the truth. If they were all so close, then why were they gone? Rose looked off into the photo like she was in another world. 

“They’re all fine,” Rose said. “Jack is rebuilding the Earth in the future, and Mickey and the Doctor are in a parallel world.”

“He is? I thought the Doctor died?” Rose let a breath out from her nose. 

“Did I not tell you? I thought I must’ve. He’s just stuck there forever, without me,” Rose’s voice trailed off with a stammer. “‘S like death in a way, since he’s stuck there with no way to return, but he is still alive. My mum’s there too,” she added. “It’s funny, almost everyone I cared about is there.” Rose smiled at Martha and gave her a hug. “If you want to leave I won’t judge you. Not everyone can do it and you aren’t any less of a person for leaving.” Rose showed Martha out and finally sunk into her sheets for no one to bother her. She let herself let go in her bed. She gasped out her feelings into her pillow. Today was just so draining and it just hurt her so much. She needed the cool hands of the Doctor to wipe away her hot tears or she needed her mum to reassure her that everything would be ok. She heard humming in her room. The TARDIS was trying to comfort her. Rose sighed and let herself drift into a (thankfully) dreamless sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is part one of The Lazarus Experiment. I don't normally like to split chapters into parts because I think making people wait unnecessarily is dumb, but its over 25 pages, so I figured it was probably best to split it. I was originally going to do The Shakespeare code, but now I'm not so sure. Part two of the Lazarus Experiment is some of my favorite stuff that I've written for the story, so I'm really excited. Hope you enjoyed! I was originally going to write a birth, but I figured that was too graphic, so I decided against it.


	8. The Most Important Biscuits in the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the start of the Lazarus Experiment

Rose woke up to the sight of the Doctor looking over her. Rose screamed and fell out of bed. Her butt hit the hardwood floor and she banged her elbow on her bedside table. 

“D-doctor?” She uttered. 

“I am the TARDIS Visual Interface.” It sounded like the Doctor, but had a robotic tone to it. It was like when the hologram Doctor appeared when she went to see Shareen the first time.

“Why didn’t you speak when I first saw you?” Rose asked, confused. 

“I did not feel the need to appear to you in this form.” This version of the TARDIS lacked all warmth and familiarity. She was like a machine and not her friend. Rose frowned at the thin Doctor in pinstripes. She sighed as she felt more uncomfortable. 

“Why as the Doctor?” 

“My interface suggested that out of all the faces in my database that this face would be most appealing to you. Would you prefer I change it?” The TARDIS told her. Rose nodded violently, but frowned. 

“You can already speak to me, so why limit yourself to a visual interface? You’re far less expressive.”

“This way I am able to protect the general welfare of your companions.” The TARDIS finished the rest of her sentence in Rose’s head. “I did not expect you to bring 4 people on board.”

“4? I’ve only brought 3!” 

_ “Oops,” _ the TARDIS said in her head. The Interface changed into Mickey. “Would you prefer this form?” Rose shook her head. The TARDIS made a ‘sigh’ in her head. _ “My Little Wolf, you can never be satisfied, can you?”  _ Rose expelled a breath. 

“I can be satisfied! You just keep turning into the people I used to love.”

_ “Used to?”  _

“I love Mickey like a brother,” Rose spit out. “I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving the Doctor,” she finished quietly. The TARDIS Visual Interface changed again to a blonde woman with brown eyes. Rose had never seen her before. 

_ “Is this to your liking?”  _

“I don’t even know who that is, whose face are you wearing?”

“A young woman from your future, Sally Sparrow.” Rose sighed and crossed her arms as she went to her dresser. 

“Would she consent to you wearing her face?” The TARDIS changed faces again, to Harriet Jones!

“I will not be changing again today.” Rose nodded reluctantly and the TARDIS Visual Interface disappeared. Rose changed into simple clothes, jeans and a pink sweatshirt, and went to go get breakfast in the kitchen. She hummed to herself and grabbed an apple from the bowl of fruit. She didn’t notice how her companions had circled up at the table eating in silence. 

“Rose?” Shareen called. Rose’s eyes widened as she looked to Shareen and the gang. 

“I can’t believe I didn’t notice you!” She exclaimed, pulling up a chair and sitting in it. She was across from Martha and next to Lucy and Shareen. “Did Martha tell you anything?” Lucy shook her head. 

“Tell us what?”

“I’m taking her home after we finish eating.” 

“Oh?” Lucy said, using her spoon to stir cinnamon into the bowl. “So soon?” Lucy gave off a disinterested tone. 

“Rose offered me a chance to stay a little longer, so I’m gonna mull it over while visiting my mum.” Shareen’s eyes widened and shifted to Rose. 

“Are we going to visit my mum too?” Rose nodded with a smile. 

“Yes, we are. I promised you when we brought Lucy on board that we would visit your mum next, so I’m going to honor that promise.” Rose stood up and took a bite out of her apple. 

“Where are you going? You just sat down?” Shareen told her. Rose took the apple out of her mouth and pointed to the console room. 

“I’m gonna make sure we make it to Martha’s flat right after we left. I’m still not great at piloting the TARDIS and I don’t want to make the same mistake as the Doctor and accidentally take you a year into the future. He did that to me once, on accident. Remember when I was missing for a year and didn’t phone anyone?” Shareen rolled her eyes and groaned. 

“You mean the first time I thought you were dead?” Martha spit out her tea back into her mug. 

“What?!” She exclaimed as she slammed her hands down on the table. “You thought she was dead more than once? Before the times where Rose was kidnapped by the green guys and the radiation?  _ Before?! _ ” Martha sounded incredulous. 

“It was when all the shopping centers came alive. In 2005, remember? Rose just ran off with the Doctor in the middle of the night, called her mum the next day and then nothing!” Shareen explained, a bite laced her words. “She turned up a year later, and then that alien ship crashed into Big Ben.” Shareen took a deep breath. “I was so angry when she came back and was like ‘I just lost track of time!’ I knew it was bull! Mind you the Doctor looked 40 at least! So we all thought she was under the spell of an older man,” Shareen trailed off. She looked at Rose with a new understanding. “I guess the Doctor must’ve just been really bad at flying, then?” Rose snorted. 

“I’m still mad at him about the whole thing! ‘S terrible! This is why I have to get it right the first time around. As soon as we land we become part of events and can’t go back and fix our mistakes.” Martha nodded, but before Rose could disappear away to the console the TARDIS Visual Interface appeared as Harriet Jones. Shareen let out a scream and Martha stared at the hologram.

“Harriet Jones is an alien?” Martha bit the inside of her cheek lightly. “That explains a lot.” 

“I am the TARDIS Visual Interface,” Harriet’s robotic voice came. “I have chosen to appear as Harriet Jones as according to your leader appearing as the Doctor would not be the best course of action.”

“Your ship’s got a ‘visual interface’ and we didn’t hear about this yesterday?” Shareen asked. 

“She surprised me this morning. Just hanging over my bed wearing the Doctor’s face. I guess I didn’t realize the TARDIS had a visual interface on Christmas. I probably should’ve, but hindsight is 20/20.” Rose made a noise as she bit into her apple again. “I’m gonna go, come and join me when you guys are done.” The TARDIS Visual Interface followed Rose to the console and began instructing her on how to get the date in the exact time she needed. The TARDIS Visual Interface instructed like a strict teacher. This version of the TARDIS was not very lively. Personality diminished. Soon Martha, Lucy, and Shareen entered the console room and the TARDIS Visual Interface disappeared.

“Do you know how to get me home?” Martha asked. 

“I think so,” Rose told her, while ghosting her fingers over buttons. “The temporal stabiliser is working fine, so I don’t see why I wouldn’t be able to get you home.” Martha smiled lightly. “Can you hand me your mobile?” Martha pulled her phone out of her pockets and gave it to Rose. She punched her number into Martha’s contacts and handed it back to her. 

“What’d ya do to it?” Lucy asked, peeking over Martha’s shoulder. 

“I just gave her my number, that way she can call us when she’s ready to tell us her decision.” 

“Ohh!” Lucy responded. “I see!” Rose looked to all of them with a wild grin and clever look in her eye. 

“I’m gonna land right by Martha’s apartment right after the party! Ok, so that means hold onto something cause it’s gonna be bumpy!” Rose started flipping switches and steering the TARDIS through the Vortex. The TARDIS was spinning like a top. Martha and Lucy grabbed onto the railing while Shareen stumbled onto the grating with an _ oof! _ She gripped the grating with her fingers trying not to touch her face to the floor. 

“It’s never been this rough before!” Shareen screamed as Martha laughed without humor. 

“I can’t believe this is happening!” Rose’s newfound confidence should’ve been reassuring to the group, but instead panic filled her friends' minds. She steered the TARDIS in between buildings and Rose scrunched up her face as she took it into an alley. They landed and Lucy stumbled into Shareen. 

“Phew!” Rose said, wiping sweat off her brow. “Now I see why the Doctor gets so manic when he drives sometimes.” Rose frowned when she looked at the clock. She pursed her lips. 

“What’s wrong?” Martha asked. 

“Well, I was hoping to drop you right after the party, but it seems I’ve landed around 8 in the morning.” 

“Oh, really?” Martha asked with hope. “Not a year later?” Rose’s eyes darkened and she frowned. 

“I should triple check, the Doctor told me it had only 12 hours, but he was wrong. Gimme a sec,” Rose checked and sighed in relief. “I did it,” she told them. “I could do what the Doctor never did with me, take someone home in the same day.” Rose threw her hands up in the air and cheered. Martha took a deep breath and walked to the doors of the TARDIS.

“I’ll see you later, right?” Rose nodded and they watched Martha open the door and step out into the alley. The doors shut behind her and Rose clapped her hands together. 

“So, let’s go visit your mum, Shareen.” Rose watched as Shareen’s face lit up at the mention of her mother. 

“We gonna walk? Or are you gonna take us in the TARDIS?” Rose threw keys to Shareen and Lucy. She had them made before the Green Masques. 

“We’re gonna take a taxi, I don’t wanna walk and the TARDIS should just get a rest.” 

“Do we have money?” Lucy asked. Rose nodded and she circled the console looking for a lever. She pulled the said lever and out popped a card.

“The Doctor made me pay for chips once. He was a terrible date,” her voice trailed off fondly. Shareen gave Rose a small smile. Rose wasn’t tearing up. “Ever since I’ve had mum send me 15 quid whenever she has anything extra. I’d pick up odd jobs sometimes when I was traveling with the Doctor. He also had a lot of capital saved up. He’s been over 900-years, so he’s got to have a lot. So I have this card. We can stop at an atm or buy something at a store and get cash back.” Shareen blinked and pulled out the remnants of the pounds she had when she paid the chinese food guy. “Why are you looking at me like that?” Rose asked as she pocketed the card. 

“You had money and you made me pay for the Chinese food during Christmas?!” Rose blushed and averted her eyes. 

“It was your food,” she responded.

“You couldn’t have done me a solid? That Sycorax messed up the carpet and shot at the Estate!” 

“I just did what Lucy told me to do!” Rose threw her hands up. Lucy’s eyes switched between Shareen and Rose.

“I was 16! Give me a break! I had to get the Indian food to you somehow! My stepmum made all of that by the way! Where’s the thanks! She’s an Indian Christian! Loves Christmas! Has her own family to hang out with but instead she made food for your family! No love for Dipa Gupta!” 

“Let’s just get to my mum’s,” Shareen grumbled. 

* * *

Shareen looked at Rose carefully before she knocked on the door. Rose hadn’t seen her family in a while and they were still eager to know what happened to Rose. 

“Rose?” Shareen got Rose’s attention quietly.

“Yeah?” She responded with the same level of sound. 

“D’you think we should tell my parents about the whole time travel thing? I don’t think hiding it would do any good.” Rose raised her eyebrows in acknowledgment. 

“Not telling my mum made everything harder, so maybe it’s the right decision. Your parents are in a different boat then my mum was in. She had no time to get used to aliens and all sorts of other stuff. You guys have had aliens in your lives for around a year and a half. Do you think Andi can handle knowing that her daughter is a time traveler?” Before Shareen could answer the door swung open and Andi Costello wrapped Shareen and Rose in a tight hug. She didn’t look much like Shareen. She took more after her father than her mother. Andi’s eyes were grey in contrast to Shareen’s brown. Andi’s hair was short and dyed reddish brown, the last time Rose had seen her she had grey hair. She was taller than her daughter as well. 

“Rose! I heard about the hospital! I was so worried about you and Shareen!” Andi let them go and looked to Lucy. “Lucy,” she greeted curtly. 

“Mrs Costello.” Andi let everyone into the Costello flat. She let Rose and Lucy sit on the sofa. She took Shareen into the kitchen and began to chew her out.

“You didn’t answer your phone! Royal Hope was on the Moon yesterday! I thought you were dead!”

“Mum I didn’t have cell reception! I was on the Moon! Where’s dad?” She asked, looking around the flat, noticing his absence. 

“He’s at work! Some of us have jobs and don’t go around traveling!”

“I thought you were happy I was getting out there?” Shareen asked. Andi looked at Shareen with soft eyes and wrapped her in a soft hug. 

“I am, I was just worried about you. You really scared us. Your little brother kept rattling off on how you were on the moon though. Everyone told him the truth,” she put finger quotes around truth, “but that’s not true, right? You really were on the Moon and not drugged?” Shareen nodded. 

“I really was on the Moon, mum. I have so much to tell you about!” Andi Costello put a kettle on the stove and walked back to see Rose and Lucy. When Shareen glanced back to Rose she saw tears peeking through her mascara. Luckily Rose didn’t pile it on like she normally did. 

“Rose, dear,” Andi told her. “What’s wrong?” Rose bit her lip and blinked back the tears. 

“I miss my mum,” she choked out. “We could hear everything,” she whispered. “I never thought I would miss my mum chewing me out, but I’d give anything to hear her voice.” Andi wrapped Rose in another hug. 

“We all miss Jackie, I’m so sorry for your loss.” Rose broke down into tears. Shareen felt so awkward just watching. Lucy leaned away from Rose and looked to Shareen with wide eyes. 

“I promised myself I wasn’t going to cry,” Rose whispered. 

“Rose it’s only been a few days for you,” Shareen said, walking over to Rose. “Don’t grieve all at once. You’ve had an action packed week.” 

“A few days?” Shareen’s mum asked, pulling away from Rose. “What’d ya mean a few days? It’s been around nine months!” Rose shook her head in response. 

“I suppose we have to tell her, don’t we?” Rose asked Shareen and Lucy. Lucy motioned to Shareen. 

“It’s your decision.” Andi’s eyes widened and she turned to her daughter. 

“What do you mean? Tell me what?” Shareen hissed slightly as she racked her brain for the words to explain it to her mum. “What’s going on sweetie?”

“Mum, how long have I been gone?” Andi shook her head in confusion. 

“Three months, you’ve been gone for three months,” Andi told Shareen. 

“S’not true mum,” Shareen responded. She watched her mother’s face understand less and less of what was going on. “You know how that alien broke into our house on Christmas Eve?” Andi nodded. “That was last week for me.”

“What?” Andi’s voice was barely above a whisper. “What do you mean?

“Mum, we always believed in aliens, yeah?” Andi nodded again. “And that they have incredibly advanced technology?”

“Well of course I know that! They killed Jackie! They try to take over the world around once a week! You were sent to the Moon!”

“Mum, I’m a time traveler now.” Andi stood up. 

“Time travel!” Andi yelled. “Time travel isn’t real! Aliens I can believe but time travel? Einstein said no one can go back in time, only forward!” Andi pursed her lips. “You said it was last week.” Andi’s voice was so quiet that it looked more like she was mouthing it. “Prove it,” Andi demanded. Shareen looked at Rose who was staring down at her mobile. Soon a knock came at the door. Rose went to answer it and it was Lucy! But young? Shareen’s eyes widened as she realized it was the food delivery girl from Christmas. The one who gave Rose the note about going to Royal Hope. Adult Lucy backed away and hid from the young version. She ducked behind the sofa and didn’t let Teen Lucy see her. Three Lucy’s at the same time? Baby Lucy, Teen Lucy, and Adult Lucy. How did they not cause a paradox? 

“Hi Aarti,” Rose told Teen Lucy. She handed her some biscuits and frowned. 

“Did you call me just for Parle-G biscuits?” Rose nodded.  “I walked here, you know, these biscuits better be important.” Lucy or Aarti, Shareen supposed, had your basic ‘did you just waste my time’ tone. Rose exhaled with a smile. 

“These are currently the most important biscuits in the world.”

“Mkay,” Aarti said slowly with a nod. She backed out of the flat and went back to wherever out of time Lucy was before Rose got her to come to Shareen’s flat. Andi gasped as soon as Aarti left the flat and Lucy came back into view. 

“How can there be two of you?” 

“How did you even get Aarti’s number?” Shareen asked. Lucy looked at her like she was missing something. 

“I gave it to her, Shareen.” Shareen frowned at Lucy’s response. She expected it to be extra complicated for no reason. Time travel was messing with her common sense.

“I have a time machine, Andi,” Rose told her. “When I went missing for a year, it was because I literally lost track of time. It had only been a few days for me. I landed a year after my first adventure instead of 12 hours.” 

“And it’s only been a few days since you lost your mother?” She asked. Rose nodded in response. Instead of giving Rose another hug instead Andi turned to Shareen with a red face. “You’ve been traipsing through time! What if you get hurt? What if you go missing for a year, like Rose!?” Shareen turned to Rose and Lucy. 

“You might wanna go back to the TARDIS, I’ll talk with her.” Rose gave Shareen a worried look, but Shareen shook it off. She held up her TARDIS key. “Go, have some fun in London.” Shareen sat her mum down on the sofa and sat next to her. “Mum, just calm down. I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

* * *

Rose and Lucy were walking down the streets looking for something to keep them busy while Shareen talked to her mum and Martha decided what she was going to do next. 

“I don’t remember coming to Shareen’s house and bringing you Parle-G biscuits.”

“What type of weird stuff did I have you do?” Rose asked, “if you forgot me making you run Indian biscuits over to Shareen’s?” 

“Honestly, you didn’t make me do all that much. I think I was just preoccupied with what’s coming soon.” Rose’s eyes widened. 

“What’s coming soon?”

“I don’t know,” she replied. “But it isn’t great.” 

_ “Professor Lazarus’ announcement that he will ‘change what it means to be human’ is funded by Harold Saxon. His rise in UK politics is certainly historic--” _ Rose turned to Lucy.

“Change what it means to be human? That’s impossible, not yet at least. Humans change in the future when they start mixing with other species. Like your dad, Lucy. Humanity as a whole though, can’t change now. We’ve got our own path that we have to follow.”

“Let’s investigate it then!” Lucy told Rose. “We need something to do until Martha and Shareen come back! Let’s investigate this! I’ve heard of Professor Lazarus before! They’ve been hyping up this announcement for months.” Lucy grabbed a newspaper that had fallen on the ground. “The reveal is at his lab tonight, during the reception. We just need invitations, you have psychic paper, so it should be easy!” Lucy’s excitement was palpable. Rose smiled, she must’ve looked like that to the Doctor sometimes. 

“Sure we can fake invitations, but they’ll probably have a list or something. Let’s just get on the list.” Rose gave a smile without teeth. “I’m pretty cool, you know, I have friends in high places.” 

“Like who?” Lucy asked with a knowing smile. Rose pulled out her mobile and dialed Shareen’s number. 

_ “Who is it?” _ Shareen answered. 

“Lucy and I are going to investigate Dr Lazarus, so if you come back to the TARDIS and it’s empty we’re at Lazarus Laboratories.”

_ “I saw that! Mum turned on the telly to see the news. It really doesn’t seem like my thing or I’d ask to go too. Mum’s taking it a little better, but she still needs a little bit to adjust. Talk to you later, _ ” Shareen said while hanging up. 

“We’re going to go visit Harriet Jones. She’s the former Prime Minister, I’m sure she can get us in.”

* * *

“No!” Harriet Jones said while trying to slam the door in their faces. Rose held the door preventing it from closing all the way. 

“Harriet please! He’s going against the laws of nature! I need to investigate!”

“I have no influence over Richard Lazarus! He is bought by Harold Saxon and I have no control of that man! My political career is over! I have no influence!” Harriet decryed. Rose sighed and looked at her with begging eyes. 

“Just let us explain more.”

“Please Ms. Jones!” Lucy added. “You’ve still got so much left to offer! I’m your driver! I know you still want to do more!” Still the door closed. Rose turned to Lucy with a disappointed look on her face. 

“I guess we’ll have to break in. You better be good at breaking into buildings because I don’t think Shareen’s mum will appreciate her bailing us out of jail.” The door swung wide open and Harriet Jones crossed her arms. She reminded Rose of a disapproving mother catching her children in the act of something naughty.

“I’ll have no talk of breaking in, young ladies! If we’re going to do this we’re going to do this the proper way. I’ll make some calls and get us on the list, go get dressed, we can’t show up looking like we do normally. We’ve got to fit in with some of the most important people in all of London. Anyone who is anyone will be there. Go get dressed and meet me back here in two hours. We’ll make a plan.” The door shut again and Lucy gave Rose a shocked laugh. 

“That was easy.” 

“Easy my arse, come on Lucy, let’s go.” Rose stepped off of Harriet Jones’ porch. “We’ve got investigating to do! And fancy dresses to wear! Shareen’s gonna be so bummed she missed this! She’s always loved to dress up!”

* * *

Rose pulled out a dress from the wardrobe. She pursed her lips and put it back. 

_ “Are you going to look at dresses all day?” _ The TARDIS asked. 

‘No, but I need something that will still look nice even if I have to run.’ Rose looked for something else. ‘Why aren’t you mourning?’ Rose asked her. ‘You’ve been teasing and teaching me things and you still take me places. You loved the Doctor too, so how come you’re acting as if everything’s fine?’

_ “Little Wolf, I know things you don’t. My Thief always defeats the odds.  _ Always _.” _ A dress and shoes appeared in front of Rose. On closer inspection, it wasn’t a dress. It was a long mauve jumpsuit with pockets. It brought vivid back memories of Jack and the Doctor. Mauve was the near universal color of danger. Was the TARDIS sending her a message? Rose picked up the shoes and looked at them too. Black flexible high heels. Rose clicked a button on the side and the heel popped off. 

“Brilliant!” Rose cheered quietly. “Thank you.”

_ “Can’t appear as Harriet Jones anymore, such a shame,” _ the TARDIS said, sounding disappointed. 

‘We talk like you’re a person, could you talk to the Doctor like this?’ 

_ “You and I looked into each other, Little Wolf, our relationship is different from my Thief’s. He could feel my presence, but we could not communicate like we were talking.”  _

“Rose!” Lucy called. Rose ran out of the wardrobe room and found Lucy on the ground. She had a pale tinge to her skin. “I need s-s-salt!” She cried. Rose knelt down next to Lucy. “Shareen made me a glass of water with salt on it. I made a water bottle of it last night. S’in the kitchen,” she said faintly. Rose ran to the kitchens looking for the water bottle. She didn’t see it, but she saw an open bag of crisps. She ran back to Lucy and poured the crisps in her mouth. Lucy chewed the crisps and gradually color returned to her face. 

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t find your water,” Rose told her. 

“You still got me something salty.” Lucy sat up with Rose’s assistance. “That’s better than nothing.”

“How often do you need to replenish your salt intake?” Rose asked. 

“I didn’t need to replenish as much before I met you. I’m sweating a lot so I’m losing salt quicker than normal.” Rose helped Lucy up and took her to the kitchen. Rose made a salt water mixture and Lucy drank it up. 

“Do you wanna rest instead of going to Lazarus Labs?” Lucy shook her head. 

“I’m not missing history for the world. I’ll be fine just go get changed. I’m a big strong half alien, I’m not gonna break.”

“Ok,” Rose accepted. “But if you feel sick, tell me and go back to the TARDIS. I don’t want any complaints young lady!” Lucy snorted and took a big swig of her salt water. 

“We’re going to have to get me sodium tablets or something.”

“Maybe, we’re definitely going to have to find a way to do something about this. You can't keep this up without getting help.” Rose walked to the doorframe. “We’re going to have an interesting time tonight. I can feel it.”

“I don’t doubt it, I feel like you attract danger.”

“Hey! We all attract danger! Don’t pin this on me! Your mom tried to kill a bunch of people! Including me!” Lucy deflated. 

“Yeah, but at least she’s dead now.” 

“You aren’t a little sad about it?” Rose asked, leaning on the door frame. Lucy shook her head and took another swig of water. 

“No, that bitch is dead and I’m glad. She tried to kill my dad and killed a bunch of other people. I’ve got a much better family now. My stepmum is cool and understanding and doesn’t care that I’m half alien. With all that my family goes through I didn’t think my dad would ever be happy with someone, but he does, so I don’t care that she’s dead.”

“I never really thought about it, but Royal hope must’ve been traumatic for you, right?” Lucy nodded slightly. 

“I guess, seeing yourself as a baby is a little weird isn’t it?” Rose gave a humorless laugh in agreement. 

“I’m glad you knew not to touch yourself. That could’ve been bad.”

“I learned from the best,” Lucy said with a wink. “Do you think my mom actually looked like that? Or was her shape different?” Rose shook her head. 

“I have no idea.” Rose pointed down the hall. 

“I’m gonna go get changed. Meet you in the console room in 20 minutes?” 

* * *

Rose and Lucy met Harriet Jones in front of her home at the agreed time. Harriet Jones was dressed like she was getting ready to address the nation. Lucy wore an Indian outfit, but Rose didn’t know what it was called. She thought back to her time working at Henrik’s when the Indian ladies would come by and talk about how their clothing was so much better than what these Brits were wearing. Salwar Kameez! That’s what it was called. It was green with little gems sewn into it. 

“I managed to get three invites to the event,” Harriet told them. “Harold Saxon was happy to give me an invitation. Said it was a gift of goodwill. Much easier than I thought it would be.”

“Harriet, you were the Prime Minister, not everyone gets to be Prime Minister of the bloody United Kingdom, you’ve got a lot more power than you think.” 

“It’s true, Ms Jones, you’ve still got more to offer the world. Don’t sell yourself short.” Harriet Jones sighed as they approached the limo that Harriet had managed to get for the event. 

“But I wasn’t good enough to stay in power,” Harriet lamented, pulling the door open for Rose.

“Harriet, what you did was wrong,” Rose responded. “You were the catalyst for a lot more than you think. One of the Sycorax had been planning revenge for a year. They were fleeing and you still ordered their destruction. You did what you thought was right and so did the Doctor. Let’s just focus on whatever’s going on tonight. Changing what it means to be human isn’t possible. So, let’s figure out what’s going to happen.” 

The limo driver dropped them off in front of Lazarus Laboratories. Rose had a weird feeling about this. So many people were in attendance. If something went wrong then some of these people were guaranteed to get hurt. Rose needed to be there. She needed to protect these people from the future that isn’t meant to be. Would some memories from Bad Wolf unlock during this event or would she be on her own? They walked in a single file with Rose in front, Lucy behind her, and behind her was Harriet Jones. 

“I’m glad I wasn’t the one driving for once,” Lucy quipped. “Back when Ms Jones was Prime Minister I had to drive her everywhere. My hands had blisters.”

“I thought you were a scientist?” Rose asked. 

“She was my driver first,” Harriet Jones told them. “However, I noticed she was far too brilliant to be stuck behind my wheels. I introduced her to Chief Science Director Stewart and she got her a job.”

“It was really amazing of you to get me that job Ms Jones.” The bouncer looked at Rose up and down.

“Name?” He asked.

“Rose Tyler, I’m with Harriet Jones. I was told we were on the list?” The bounces scanned for her name and the three women through. There they came into contact with someone they did not expect to see. Martha Jones and her family!

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> honestly, I'm really struggling with the story at this point. I was so proud of The Lazarus Experiment, but writing after it has been difficult. I'm honestly debating with myself whether or not I'm going to stop working on this story. It's turning into something I didn't originally intend for it to be and I can't change it at this point. I seriously might just post second part of The Lazarus Experiment and stop and start over. I've already started an alternate story in case I actually abandon this, but I'm not sure yet. 
> 
> I feel bad because I would just be letting the people who've stuck with this story down, but when I started this story I had barely seen the show. Now I'm on the middle of season 8 and my Who knowledge is increased. 
> 
> I wrote this story because I wanted to see Rose Tyler struggle in the TARDIS, but when I saw River pilot the TARDIS I decided "well obviously then Rose should be able to as well." That single decision has taken the story off pace and changed it. 
> 
> I wanted to tell you guys that I'm on the fence and ask you guys what I should do. So what should I do?


	9. Lazarus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We've arrived at the Lazarus Experiment.

“Martha!” Lucy cried in excitement. Martha was talking with a woman with familiarity and two others, an older woman and a young man, this must’ve been Martha’s family. 

“What are you guys doing here?” Martha asked excitedly. She ran to give Rose and Lucy a hug. She wore a knee length purple dress and had her hair back with a headband. 

“Is that Harriet Jones?” Martha’s presumed sister asked. 

“Hello, Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister,” she said.

“We know who you are,” Martha’s brother said. “Tish would’ve said if you were coming, wow!” 

“I was intrigued last minute and made some calls,” Harriet told the group. “I knew young Miss Tyler and Dr Gupta over here wouldn’t miss it for the world as well and decided to take them along.” Martha looked at Rose with a cheeky smile. 

“Of course you’d be, I don’t know why I didn’t expect to see you here in one way or another.”

“No breaking and entering for me, thank you,” Rose said with a laugh. She had intended exactly that, but Martha didn’t need to know that. 

“How do you know Miss Tyler, Martha?” The older woman asked. 

“I met Rose and Lucy at the hospital yesterday, mum,” Martha told her mother. 

“Helped save my life,” Rose interjected. Harriet Jones proceeded to shake Martha’s hand. She smiled kindly at Martha. 

“Thank you for your work at the hospital and for saving my associates.”

“No need to thank me, I was just doing my job,” Martha responded. “I’d do it again anytime.” 

“How’d you get invited to this event?” Lucy asked. 

“Tish, works in PR,” Martha told the group. 

“I’m actually Head of the PR Department,” Tish interjected. 

“What? But you’re so young!” Harriet Jones exclaimed. “You must be very good at your job.” Tish blushed. 

“Thank you.” She looked around and noticed something. “I have to go, the demonstration is about to start. I’ll see you all in a bit.” Rose eyed the white capsule in the center of the room. 

“Lucy,” Rose whispered. “How do you think it works?”

“I’m not even sure what he’s going to do,” she responded at equal volume. “Changing what it means to be human could mean a whole bunch of things.”

“Are you guys worried?” Martha asked. 

“I have some knowledge of how the future is going to go. I’ve been to the year 200,000, and I’m pretty sure I would know if today was the day Humanity changed forever. It’s not.”

“200,000?” Martha asked, with wonder. “You’ve really been to the year 200,000?”

“I’ve been even farther than that. I’ve been to the year 5,000,000,000 or 5.5/apple/26 if you want to be precise.”

“Really?” Before Rose could respond the lights dimmed except for in the center of the room. Lights shown onto the white capsule. An older man stood in front of the capsule taking all the attention. He rose his arms like he wanted to give a hug to the entire audience.

“Ladies and gentleman, I am Professor Richard Lazarus and tonight you all will see what I think will be the first advance since Rutherford split the atom. It is by all accounts a miracle. The biggest leap since Neil Armstrong and his compatriots landed on the Moon.”

“But the Moon isn’t that impressive,” Lucy whispered, jokingly. “We were there yesterday.”

“Hush,” Rose said, snickering quietly.

“Tonight, you will watch and wonder, but tomorrow you will realize your world has changed forever and you were there to see it.” Lazarus stepped inside the capsule and pretty science ladies, Rose was sure Lucy was ogling, clicked buttons and switches. Lights radiated around it and spun. The capsule and the lights spun fast. It radiated a powerful blue. Like lightning. Soon, however a klaxon started blaring. Alarm bells filled everyone’s ears. Sparks came from the control panel. 

“Oh no!” Harriet Jones cried. “Something’s wrong!” Rose turned to Lucy. 

“Do you know how to stop it!” She cried. Lucy gave a slight nod, light of the machine reflected in her eyes. 

“Maybe! We have to try though! Even if I don’t!” Rose quickly removed the heels from her shoes and they ran over to the control panel. She stuffed the heels in her pockets and got out her sonic screwdriver. She interfered with some of the instruments trying to get it to slow down. 

“Someone stop them!” An elderly woman called. 

“If the machine overloads then it will destroy the entire building!” Lucy yelled to her. Lucy’s eyes moved back and forth a mile a minute and she tampered with switches. She leaped over the console and pulled out the plug with a sigh of relief. 

“Someone get him out of there!” Rose called, breathing heavily over the machine. Martha and Harriet ran to the capsule and pulled open the door. Smoke or maybe steam spilled out of the capsule and out came a young blond man. Rose squinted her eyes in disbelief. 

“Ladies and gentleman! I am Richard Lazarus! I was born 76 years ago! I have been reborn!” His arms rose again in a pose of victory. 

“He did it,” the elderly woman who tried to stop Rose and Lucy said. “He actually did it!” Rose walked over to Martha and Harriet. 

“Are you ok? You broke your heels,” Martha asked. Rose shook her head. 

“Don’t worry, they came off on purpose. If only I brought trainers I could change into though, they would sure come in handy about now.” Rose noticed Harriet Jones staring at the machine strangely. Maybe she wanted to have a go? Rose sighed internally. Maybe she never would accept that some things were wrong. 

“He can’t be the same guy,” Lucy said, walking over, her dress slightly smoking. 

“Lucy’s right, it has to be a trick. This shouldn’t be possible.”

“But it is, that’s the problem.”

“Maybe my mum…” Harriet Jones trailed off, her sentence nearly silent. If Rose hadn’t been paying attention to her she wouldn’t have even noticed the statement.

“This is bad,” Rose said. “He really changed what it meant to be human.” Rose stared at him intensely. Just looking at him felt wrong. He was normal, talking with spectators and the older woman, but then out of the blue, his neck made a cracking sound and he grabbed a plate of finger foods and shoved them down his mouth like he hadn’t eaten in a decade. 

“Were you raised in a barn!?” The elder lady cried. 

“I am famished!” He cried, mouth full. Rose walked over with Lucy and Martha following close behind. 

“Tea will do you well, Professor,” Rose said. “All the free radicals and tannins. Good for the body after a harsh transformation.” Rose tried to sound as smart as possible, thinking of words the Doctor had said, or words that sounded similar. 

“You act as if you’ve experienced something similar?” Rose thought of the Doctor and his regeneration. Perhaps she was familiar with the process. 

“I am familiar with cell regeneration. I assume this is something similar, am I correct?” Richard Lazarus looked down at Rose with a smirk on his face. Rose shuddered internally. 

“Yes, something like that, Miss?” He said, asking for her name. 

“Tyler, though I’m afraid my last name is all you’re going to get out of me.” Lazarus looked at her intrigued. Rose decided to turn up the mystique. 

“Why is that?” 

“Keeps the chase more interesting,” Rose said, nearly vomiting in her mouth. She had seen age gaps even larger than this, but something about Lazarus made her deeply disturbed. She felt like in a way, she was betraying the Doctor. Lucy looked at Rose with wide eyes. The older woman looked at Rose with a threatening glare. 

“So you’re using hypersonic sound waves to create a resonant state? It’s quite inspired,” Lucy remarked. 

“You understand the theory then…” He trailed off, fishing for Lucy’s name as well. 

“Dr Aarti Gupta, you couldn’t have possibly accounted for all of the variables though!” Lazarus continued to stuff his face with snacks on the tray. 

“No experiment is entirely without risk.”

“With all due respect,” Martha chimed in, “that device nearly exploded without Miss Tyler and Dr Gupta stopping it.”

“You’re not qualified to comment!” The older woman exclaimed. 

“No, I’m not, but Dr Gupta over here is.”

“I thank you Miss Tyler and you as well Dr Gupta, but it is but a simple engineering issue. The capsule worked perfectly fine in fact. Did everything correctly.”

“But you haven’t even done proper tests. You may appear fine, but inside your whole body could be screaming for help,” Martha said. 

“Look at me!” Lazarus exclaimed, a tinge of distress coloring his tone. “You can see I am all the proof you need.”

“The device will be properly certified before we go ahead and operate commercially.” Rose understood now, this woman was his benefactor. 

“You are funny,” a voice called. It was Harriet Jones. She made her way over and was joining in on the conversation. “Sure your device may operate for now, but as it stands you’ve got maybe five years before you can even begin to start selling your device. The international community will be on your back like white on rice.”

“Rice can be brown too, though, Ms Jones,” Lucy said quietly.

“My device will allow for Humanity to grow and change. Evolution in our own grasps. We will improve the quality of life for everyone.”

“This isn't about improving the quality of life, this is about making money. You and all your rich friends who will be able to afford to live longer and rein over all the poor people in the world as they die around you.” Rose let herself be angry.

“We have much to discuss, let us take our leave to Professor Lazarus’ office.”

“Goodbye, Miss Tyler, Dr Gupta, and others, one day you will look back at this and laugh about how wrong you were.” He stepped away, kissing Martha’s hand and reaching for Rose’s. “Perhaps we can discuss the plight of the lower class later tonight, in my office when I am done with Lady Thaw.” He kissed her hand as well and stepped away. 

“Lazarus has no idea what’s happening in his body,” Rose said, as he finally was out of earshot. 

“Luckily we’ve collected DNA samples then,” Martha told her, raising her hand in front of Rose’s eyes. 

“How come he didn’t kiss my hand?” Lucy said, disappointed. 

“Don’t be offended,” Rose said. “I wish he didn’t kiss my hand.” Lucy shook her head. 

“There are a lot of labs in this building. We need to sneak away and run tests,” Martha said. 

“Harriet,” Rose said, getting her attention. 

“Yes, Rose?”

“Do you mind entertaining Martha’s family while we sneak off? Just so they don’t notice we’re gone.”

“Leave it to me, Rose. I’ve gotten very good at hobnobbing. Lucy will call me when you’re done.” Harriet Jones left and soon the young women were in a lab looking at DNA.

“How did you both meet _Harriet Jones_?” Martha asked, incredulous.

“Saved the world with her back in 06,” Rose said. “She wasn’t anyone famous then, she was just concerned about helping out cottage hospitals. We were in the 10 Downing Street Cabinet Room together when it blew up. I was the one who convinced her and the Doctor to get in the cupboard.”

“I was her driver, nothing too impressive,” Lucy said. “Still am sometimes, just not very often anymore.”

“Sounds impressive to me,” Martha said. Lucy input the DNA into the microscope and they looked at it closely.

“What am I looking at, Lucy?” Rose asked, hands feeling around in her pockets for her heels. She smirked inside her head. They were bigger on the inside. 

“Look!”

“What?” 

“Look at it very closely! Don’t take your eyes off of it!” Rose, Lucy, and Martha stared at the DNA for a few seconds, but nothing happened. Just when Rose was ready to take her eyes off of it however, it changed right before her very eyes. 

“Did it just change?” Martha asked. “That can’t be real! DNA can’t change.”

“But it changed right before our eyes, Martha.”

“It’s impossible, Lucy!”

“That makes two impossible things we’ve seen tonight, hell I’m the third. Half alien, remember?” 

“Lazarus would’ve had to change his own molecular patterns,” Martha said quietly, her eyes seemed to zoom on the DNA. Like she had a camera for eyes. Rose wasn’t entirely sure what was going on. She only had a secondary school level’s knowledge of biology, but if Lucy and Martha were concerned then so was Rose. 

“The hypersonic sound waves must’ve been to destabilize the cellular structure. Then maybe, I don’t know, er, maybe a metagenic program or something like that to manipulate the genetic code, or something like that.” Rose held her breath vowing to only release the carbon dioxide when she understood something. Unfortunately that didn’t seem to be the case. She was glad she had Lucy aboard the TARDIS, she wouldn’t have understood what was happening if it had just been her and Martha. Martha turned to Rose. 

“You look lost, did you get any of that?” Rose shook her head and finally let the air out of her mouth. 

“No, but I didn’t understand half of what the Doctor said anyway. It’s just different now because I’m the one saving the world without him.”

“The gist of it is, he hacked into his own DNA and instructed his cells to freshen up or regenerate.”

“But they aren’t just doing that?” Rose asked. Lucy nodded and turned the monitor of the computer to face her.

“No, now that the potential to mutate has been unlocked they won’t stop. They haven’t stabilized. They’re trying to change him into something, but we don’t know what.”

“Chances are though,” Rose told Lucy, “he’s gonna be out of control. Amirite? So we need to be able to stop him. Or at least slow him down.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“Do you know how to make a sedative?” Lucy nodded. 

“That woman and him were going upstairs, she could be in danger,” Martha said. 

“You’re right, Martha, let’s go!” Rose and Martha took off. “I trust you!” Rose said back to Lucy while running out of the lab. They took the lift up to the top floor and made it to Lazarus’ office. 

“If this is his office, then where is he? I thought he and the woman were going to talk business here?” 

“Good point, let’s go back to the…” Rose trailed off when she noticed something on the ground. Something she didn’t think was supposed to be there. Black high heels and were those legs?

* * *

Harriet Jones went to go talk to the other Joneses at the reception when she overheard them talking about Rose and Lucy.

“Tish, have you seen Martha and those other young women anywhere?” Martha’s mother asked, frantically.

“Not since the demonstration, mum,” she said, taking a sip of her champagne.

“Do you know anything about them? She says they met yesterday, but she followed Miss Tyler’s orders like she was her boss. Like they knew each other longer.”

“Well, she hasn’t mentioned them to me if she has met them before.”

“The way she followed them into lord knows what,” she remarked. 

“Mum, she’s a doctor! She’s just doing her job!” Tish said, exasperated.

“She’s not a doctor yet. Never will be one if she can’t stay focused on what’s important.”

“Look, she’s got friends, so what? Don’t we want her to have friends. She never leaves her flat as is. If she wants to go out with friends and do something every so often then what’s the hrm?” Harriet felt so bad about eavesdropping, but they might not have continued her conversation if they knew she was there. Rose would need to know if the Jones family had any ill will towards her if Martha was going to continue traveling with her and Lucy. Harriet had to redeem herself to Rose. She had to find a way to make it right. She didn’t regret shooting down the sycorax on Christmas, but she needed Rose’s forgiveness. The way she looked at her that day haunted her every night. The disappointment. If she couldn't get the recognition of the Doctor then Rose would heal her soul in his place. Harriet had hoped Rose looked up to her, but she knew that wasn’t true anymore. Harriet had to make it true again.

“There’s something going on with them, Leo! I can feel it.” Harriet turned her attention to the lift as Professor Lazarus entered the floor. Harriet had to get his attention! 

“Excuse me!” Harriet called. “Professor Lazarus! I had a few questions for you!” The newly young again turned to face her with a sickly sweet smile on his face. He was putting on a show, so Harriet had to as well. 

“Ah! We meet again Miss Jones!”

“I was wondering about your machine, away from my colleagues Dr Gupta and Miss Tyler, would you mind answering a couple? It will only take a moment.” Richard Lazarus nodded. 

“Is this because rumors about your ill health caused you to step down only three weeks ago?” He asked, Harriet burned in shame. She hadn’t wanted to step down early, but the will of her party demanded her. Harriet was fit as a fiddle, but she could not console the British public. It was such a shame, if a man had been Prime Minister then he wouldn’t have had such a petty removal. 

“Maybe, Professor Lazarus, but I’ll never tell,” Harriet said coyly. “I do have an ailing mother, however.” Harriet left that sentence open as a way for him to assume.

“I see,” Lazarus said. “Perhaps we can talk about this, on the roof?” Harriet felt like she shouldn’t as soon as she heard Richard Lazarus crack, but she had a little bit of champagne so instead of making a smart decision and saying no, she said yes and they entered the lift together. Heading to the roof.

* * *

Rose and Martha knelt next to the shoes and the body of Lady Thaw. She was sucked dry. It was like she was a witch that you would buy at the shops. Nothing left in her at all. Martha tried to do CPR, bless her heart, but as soon as she heard the cracks of her bones she knew there was no hope in reviving her.

“All the life was stolen from her. Lazarus must’ve sucked it out. The stuff done to him demanded energy and that’s why he was eating like a pig earlier. She was old like him, though, he might need more,” Rose told Martha. 

“He might do this again!” Martha and Rose stood up. Each had wide eyes. Someone else might die tonight. 

“Go check on Lucy!” Rose told Martha. “I’ll go look for him downstairs!” Martha nodded and the pair separated. Rose took the stairs and ran down. She scanned the floor looking for harriet. She must’ve known where he’d gone. Rose wasn’t anywhere. Where did she go? She ran into Martha’s brother. 

“Your Martha’s brother right?” Rose didn’t want to assume. He would’ve been another family member or. He nodded. 

“Yeah, what’s up? Is she in trouble?” Rose shook her head. 

“No, but have you seen Miss Jones? Or Professor Lazarus? I’m kinda worried about something.”

“They were upstairs together, why?” Rose nearly panicked, but she steadied her breathing and turned around accidentally bumping into Martha’s mother. She spilled champagne in the both of them.

“I am so sorry Mrs Jones! I’d help you clean off, but I _have_ to go!” Rose sped off ignoring her calls for her to stop. She ran back up the stairs and ran into Lucy and Martha. “Lazarus has Harriet Jones!” She fiddled with her sonic screwdriver. That thing could do practically anything. She was sure it might be able to track one of them. “Come on! Come on! Work!” She got it beeping and lighting up and she sighed in relief. The trio began to follow the signal. 

“They have to be on the roof!” Martha exclaimed as they looked for the way up. Rose was not going to be responsible for Harriet Jones’ death. She was so glad Shareen wasn’t here, Shareen wasn’t the best at running. She didn’t need to run, so it wasn’t her fault. They made it up to the roof where Harriet Jones and Professor Lazarus were talking. 

“Leave her alone, Lazarus,” Rose called. He turned to her. 

“Ah, the mysterious Miss Tyler makes another appearance.”

“Ms Jones, get over here right now,” Lucy told her. Harriet Jones was already keeping her distance, but now she practically ran towards Rose and her friends. 

“I suppose I am quite mysterious. It comes with the job of saving the world, I suppose,” Rose boasted, trying to sound impressive. “That includes saving the world from people like you Lazarus, people who defy the laws of nature.”

“But who are you to judge me?” 

“I am someone who’s seen so much more than you,” Rose told him. “I may be 20, 21, or some other age around there, but I’ve seen and done so much more than you in your 76 years of life.”

“You lie!” He called. They heard a crack. Lazarus was changing.

“Rude! Who raised you!” Another crack came from Lazarus’ body. Rose turned to Lucy. “You have the sedative? Cause it’s now or never.” Lucy’s eyes widened. 

“I won’t work, his body is too big! Run!” Lazarus had changed into a large skeletal monster. Like a scorpion with a human head. He was disgusting. The plan of sedating him before he could hurt anyone else went out the window and the four of them ran as fast as they could into the building. Rose used her sonic screwdriver to seal the door and they went to the stairs. 

“He’ll think we took the lift!” Rose told them. Beeps and red flashes came from the walls. Before anyone could ask about it Rose was already running down the stairs. “No time for stops! Do not stop no matter what!” The four women ran as fast as they could down the stairs. They made it to the main level. Rose hadn’t heard him break through yet, so they still had a minute or two. 

“Why are we in a security lockdown?” Tish asked. Martha grabbed her shoulders and took a deep breath. 

“Lazarus has transformed into a monster! Where's the closest exit?” She asked. She pointed to a door in the corner. 

“It's locked!” Rose grabbed her sonic and changed to the appropriate setting. 

“Harriet, they’ll listen to you! Tell them to run!” Rose told Harriet. 

“I can’t!” Rose implored her with her eyes. “Ok, just get the door open.” Rose fiddled with the lock while Harriet Jones spoke to a confused crowd. “You are all in serious danger! Please follow Miss Tyler and escape!” Rose was scared that people wouldn’t take her seriously, but when they heard Lazarus try and break through the stairs they ran. Rose got the door open and let people through. Lazarus made his entrance and glass was shattered. Rose, Harriet, Martha, and Lucy stayed behind looking for stragglers. There was Martha’s mum and brother! Leo looked like he must’ve hurt himself. Lazarus ran up to them and growled. He was going to eat them. Rose began to panic. She wasn’t going to let Martha lose her mum and brother. Rose stood on the capsule and tried to get his attention.

“Leave them alone Lazarus!” Martha made her way over to her family and helped them out of harm's way. Rose grabbed the heels from her shows that were in her pockets and threw them at Lazarus. “The mutation is too strong! You’re losing everything that made you human! All this death and destruction and for what?! Money? Improvement? How have you improved?” Lazarus’ gross face roared in Rose’s direction. “You’re just a silly old man! You thought you could defy nature! But lemme tell you! Forces higher than you are not to be messed with! Playing god is not something you wanna try unless you want to get burned!” After she felt like she antagonized him enough she ran. She ran faster than she ever thought possible. She had to find a way to subdue him. A lightbulb went off in her head. Maybe Lucy had more of that sedative? Rose ran to the lab they were in.

* * *

Martha and Harriet Jones were left to deal with the crowd of people. Lucy disappeared in the panic. Probably chasing after Rose. The main doors were locked. Martha didn’t have any way of unlocking it. She looked to the main desk and looked for anything strong enough to break the doors. They were glass, which was around a 7 on the mohs hardness scale. She found a chair and she took it with her as she threw it on the doors, breaking them and freeing the people inside. She went to go back, but her mother took her hand. 

“You can’t go Martha! It’s not safe!” 

“I don’t care, I have to go and help Rose!” Martha said bravely. 

“This Rose girl is bad for you! Why can’t you see she’s a bad influence? She’s changing you!”

“Martha, she was biding us time, she’s sacrificing herself for us, the least we can do is get away. Wouldn’t it be disrespectful of us not to take advantage of what she did for us?”

“I won’t leave her,” Martha said. “Lucy is back there too and I’m not leaving them. I’m sorry.” 

“I can see why Rose likes you,” Harriet Jones said, revealing herself as an eavesdropper. “You’re brave like her. I’ll go with you. Let’s go rescue Miss Tyler.” The pair made a mad dash up the stairs as Martha’s mum called after them.

* * *

Rose was looking for the sedative when Lucy came into the lab.

“He’s coming! What are you doing?”

“More sedative, duh!” They heard a roar. Lazarus was coming. Rose looked for something, anything to slow him down. Gas! “Lucy set that fire alarm to blow!” Lucy went to the smoke detector and fiddled with it. Rose turned on all the gas pipes she could find. The door broke and Lucy and Rose ducked behind the counters. 

“Come out, come out wherever you are!” He taunted. They turned on more gas. “Come and face your death like the valiant hero you claim to be.” Rose stood up, but made Lucy continue to kneel. 

“No!” They ran quickly and Rose hit all the switches in the lab. An explosion came from behind them, but luckily they were not slowed down by the shockwave. They ran into (literally) Martha and Harriet Jones. Harriet was panting and was not doing too well, but Martha was doing surprisingly good. 

“What are you guys doing here?” Rose asked. 

“Like we were going to leave you!” Martha responded. “We figured the explosion was you, what happened to Lazarus?” Rose looked over hoping not to see him emerge. Her stomach did a flip when the skeletal beast came out from the flames barely even scratched. 

“I suppose I ticked him off!” The four of them tried their best to outrun Lazarus when Rose felt her phone buzz. Rose answered without looking at the caller id. “Not a good time!”

 _“Rose! You’re alive!”_ It was Shareen. 

“Shareen!”

 _“I’m just around the corner!”_ She yelled into the phone. _“Don’t worry!”_

“Don’t come it’s not safe!”

 _“You’re the one who gave me a TARDIS key, I’m not going to let you face some crazy beast alone. Besides you’re the one who texted me to come. Why do you want tea anyway?”_ They all escaped to the main reception hall with the capsule. Rose had to hang up abruptly, but she couldn’t keep talking to Shareen. When did she text her?

“Harriet, get out of here. Go talk to the police or anyone. We’ve got this.” 

“Are you sure?” Harriet Jones asked. Rose shook her head, she wasn’t, but she needed to be. 

“Go, my friend Shareen is coming. She’s got dark hair and brown eyes, oh and a round face! Go meet her and tell you what you know!” Harriet nodded and ran to the exit Rose unlocked the last time. Rose opened the door to Lazarus’ capsule and the three women got inside. It was so small that they barely fit. Rose swore under her breath. She was glad at least they were all small women. 

“Are we hiding?” Martha asked. Rose shook her head.

“No, but Lazarus is prideful, I bet he’s not going to destroy his masterpiece. Even though he knows we’re in here.”

“But we’re trapped!” Lucy cried. 

“It’s not like I have a plan!” Rose said in response. A single tear welling in her left eye. This time she relished in the fact that soon we would get one of those stupid headaches. She would at least get some knowledge. Rose used her palm to hit her head when they heard another roar coming from Lazarus. “Come on! Come on! Glow baby! Glow!” She for once begged for the painful power of Bad Wolf. Rose had no idea what to do. Soon however her prayers were answered and she had a blast of pain nearly knock her off her feet. Her left eye glowed and she knew what to do. She sunk down to the ground and messed with the control panel.

“I don’t understand!” Martha cried. “Is it alien, like the Judoon?”

“No, it’s not,” Rose said, using the knowledge Bad Wolf was telling her. It hurt like fire, but she needed to keep a hold of the power for just a little longer. “Lazarus is human, he opened up his genes to things he never was meant to have. Dormant traits in his DNA were awakened and now they won’t stop.” Rose’s voice was eerily calm and it made Lucy shiver. “Lazarus is becoming what humans could’ve been.” Rose’s mobile seemingly worked on it’s own and sent a message. 

“Like Pandora's box?” Martha added.

“Yes, Martha Jones, Rose likes your shoes, by the way.” Lucy grew alarmed when she started to speak in the third person. Bad Wolf had taken over and if Rose didn’t stop she would die. Lazarus clicked a button outside and the machine turned on. Rose gasped, uttering the word “done” and fainted. The blue light stopped and the energy was reflected back at him. Lucy pushed open the machine and Rose’s body spilled out onto the ground. Lazarus was face down on the ground, human again. Martha knelt down and checked Rose’s vitals. Her heartbeat was slow and so was her breathing, but she was alive. 

“Help me,” Martha said. Lucy turned around and the two of them lifted Rose up and carried her out of there, leaving Lazarus behind. They carried her carefully down the stairs. Shareen greeted them with wide eyes and a thermos. Harriet Jones was talking to reporters and to the police. Shareen’s lower lip quivered and she unfolded her arms. 

“Rose!” Rose didn’t stir at the mention of her name. Paramedics rushed over to Rose. Lucy flashed psychic paper in their direction and they left them alone. Shareen grabbed the sedative poking out from Lucy’s handbag and gave it to the paramedics. 

“He needs to stay down,” she whispered to them. “It’s a sedative, but I hope you know your country thanks you for your service.” Rose was laid onto a cot while Martha looked over her. Martha’s mother and family came over. 

“What happened?” Tish asked. Shareen was giving Rose the thermos. 

“Rose did something you all couldn’t possibly understand. She used up too much of her energy, though,” Lucy told them.

“Martha! Don’t you see she is dangerous! I’ve been told things!” Martha’s mother told her. “Look around you! That girl brings destruction and death wherever she goes!” 

“Mum! What is wrong with you! Rose is lying on the ground dying!” Shareen lifted Rose’s head and gave her the rest of the thermos. Rose gasped awake. 

* * *

Shareen noticed something different about Rose when she woke up. Her left eye was just a bit too gold for her normal hazel eyes. After her gasp her body language shifted. She sat up and mumbled to herself quietly. 

“It didn’t work,” she whispered to herself. “Have to hold on a little longer.” Rose stood up quickly. “I must be getting rusty.” She started to walk away. It was more like stumbling. Shareen narrowed her eyes at Rose’s strange behavior. Shareen stood up after her.

“Rose wait! You just passed out!” Rose didn’t look back, but waved her hand. Shareen looked to Martha and Lucy. They heard a scream and saw Rose's speed picking up. Martha made her way over to Harriet Jones, still occupied by reporters. 

“Where is she going?” She asked. Lucy took off after Rose and Shareen nearly joined her, but she too went to Harriet Jones.

“I think Lazarus has escaped! You told me you talked to him! Do you know where he might’ve gone?” Harriet nodded. 

“Yes! Southwark Cathedral! He talked about it while we were on the roof!” Shareen and Martha ran after Lucy and Rose with Harriet Jones right behind them. They caught up to Rose who seemed to be waiting for them at the entrance. She made eye contact with Shareen, shook her head, and walked in. Shareen felt a wave of dread pulse over her. Stemming back to Rose and her golden eye. 

* * *

Rose felt weird. She was seeing everything from an all new perspective. It wasn’t good, it wasn’t bad, but weird definitely described the feeling. It was familiar too. She had this feeling before. It used to hurt, but now she was just sort of numb. She had to get to Lazarus. She needed to right the wrong that he created. It was supposed to end in two places. One timeline Rose saw, it would end during his first death. The sedative was too strong for his body and it would’ve killed, but the paramedics just couldn’t bear it. They left it alone, thinking he was dead for good, but he wasn’t. Now Rose had another option to end it. She had seen how the Doctor would’ve ended things if he was there, but he wasn’t there. 

Rose wasn’t about to let Martha and the rest of her friends be put in danger like that. No way, no how. Rose had a plan and she had to make it work. She grabbed the sedative from the ambulance and she made her way to Lazarus. Southwark Cathedral. Where he was born. Truly born. He became the man who would defy nature in that cathedral. Rose touched the doorframe of the cathedral. She needed to make the cavalry stay behind. She heard footsteps behind her. Lucy, then Martha, then Harriet Jones, and then finally Shareen. Rose looked back to her childhood friend. Shareen would listen. Rose shook her head. Shareen got the message. Rose turned around and walked into the cathedral. She scanned for Lazarus finding him by the organ underneath the night’s sky. Rose walked over to him and stared. She stared down at him with intense disapproval. As if she was a vengeful god. 

“I came here before,” he said. “So very long ago.” Rose gripped the syringe in her hands. “I thought that night I was going to die. I was so sure that it would be my last night on this god forsaken rock.” Rose kneeled in front of him. “I was a young child,” his voice said, weak and frail. “The sounds of the planes and the bombs…” he trailed off. 

“The Blitz,” Rose said, no tone to her voice. Her head started to hurt again. She was running out of time.

“You’re so young, you’ve only read about it.”

“I was there too, Lazarus. I hung from a barrage balloon fearing for my life.”

“But you’re practically a child.”

“You should know that people don’t always look their age.” A lie, but a serviceable one. Rose was technically turning 22 this year, but in reality because of the year she lost she was only 21. Lazarus didn’t know that though. It was now or never. Rose held Richard Lazarus in her arms. 

“Why are you doing this?” He asked, as she tried to sooth him and his pain. A lone tear escaped her eye and fell onto Lazarus’ forehead.

“Because I’m in pain too. Now let me take yours away.” 

“I-I-I!” He stammered. “The fires died in the morning and I still lived. I survived! I swore I would never face death like that again. Please,” he said to Rose, begging her not to take his life. 

“You aren’t facing death like that. You’ve fought hard and now it’s your time. You can only hide from death for so long before it finds you.” 

“Please,” he begged again. Rose sniffed, she didn’t have long. Was this the end? Holding on to the power she was never supposed to have, just like Lazarus? Was this the end of Rose Tyler? She had a grandmother still out there. She had so much left to give. The Doctor would never know what happened to her. Maybe that was a good thing? The Doctor would never know that Rose died holding a monster in her hands under the night sky, alone. Rose nearly laughed. She was alone. ‘Good,’ she thought. ‘I don’t want Shareen to see me like this.’

“We’ll face it together Lazarus,” she told him. The needle of the syringe was at the nape of his neck, ready to be pushed in. “I’m afraid too.” More tears of pain streamed down her face. “I’m sorry, Doctor,” she whispered. “I can’t be like you, I have to take this life with my own hands.” Rose stuck the syringe full of sedative into his neck and pressed hard. She released all of the sedative into Lazarus’ weak body and held him close to her chest. She could feel the life leaving his body and his breaths getting more and more shallow. Until finally, he was gone. Rose had taken a human life, and now she would die too. It hurt so bad, so very bad. She made sure Lazarus wasn’t alone in his final moments, she wished she had someone to do the same. Even though she pushed for everyone to stay outside. She heard a few footsteps.

“Rose!” Shareen? 

“Rose, are you ok?” Lucy? 

“Rose, can you answer us?” Martha? Rose let go of Lazarus and let herself fall back to the ground. She smiled as she looked up at the Moon. She wasn’t going to die alone after all.

 _“Giving up isn’t like you, Little Wolf.”_ Suddenly the whooshing of the TARDIS’ engine filled Rose’s ears. Her heart swelled with hope. Someone ran over to Rose. 

“Doctor?” Rose whispered, hoping that by uttering his name it would bring him back to her.

“She’s completely out of it,” the voice said, “you were right to call me, Miss Jones.” Rose couldn’t place it all. When did she know an American? Rose nearly gasped, but she could feel herself slipping away. 

“Jack…?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably my favorite thing I've written for this story. I'm really happy with it, however I've decided to put this story on hiatus for a while. I've got a new story that I'm working on that's much less stressful and doesn't take as much time away from my online schoolwork. Where I live it's all really disorganized and I can't turn in half my work because of a stupid authorization error. Thank you all for being with me and I'll see you all when I post again, hopefully. You'll see me in a few months.


	10. Changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose deals with the changes in her body in the aftermath of Lazarus' experiment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back  
> I tried to post earlier, but it wasn't showing up, so I'm going to try again and see if it works.

Rose woke up in the TARDIS. She was in the sickbay, but it didn’t feel like the sickbay. It was as if she was in a fancy hospital. A large bed and it didn’t have the same air of the TARDIS. The beeping of an EKG filled the room. It was slow, strangely slow. Dark hair pooled at the end of the bed. It was one of her friend’s heads. All of her friends had dark hair though, so she had to sit up to get a better look. Rose hissed as she realized that that simple task was a lot harder than she thought it would be. She felt heavy as lead. Rose let out a little gasp as she tried to sit up again. She tried again but to no avail. 

“Rose?” The head at the end of her bed revealed herself to be Shareen. “You’re awake!” Shareen sat up from the chair she was sitting in and ran to the door. “She’s awake! For real!” Rose heard shuffling outside and in ran Martha and Lucy. Martha put a hand on her chest and sighed. 

“Thank goodness, you’re awake.” Rose raised her arms. 

“Help me up?” She croaked out. Martha and Lucy helped Rose sit up. Shareen handed Rose a glass of water, but she nearly dropped it on the bed. “How long was I out?” 

“Two weeks,” Lucy said quietly. “You’ve been unconscious for two weeks.” Shareen helped Rose take a sip of her water. 

“What happened?” Rose asked. Her mind was blank, she couldn’t remember what she had done to cause herself to be unconscious for two weeks. Shareen paled. 

“You don’t remember?” Rose tried to shake her head, but her neck was too stiff. 

“Not a thing.”

“Lazarus?” Martha said, trying to bring back her memories. Rose gasped when she remembered Lazarus Laboratories. Running from the unnatural form of Richard Lazarus with Martha and Lucy. She even got Harriet Jones in on the adventure. However, her memory stopped as soon as she got into the capsule with Martha and Lucy. She tried to remember but it was as if she had locked the memories away and lost the key.

“What happened to him?” Rose asked. “Is he locked up somewhere or is he still out there?” Martha shook her head. Her eyes shifted to Lucy and Lucy looked back to her with a frown.

“What you did in the capsule killed him.” Rose’s eyes narrowed. Why did she look back at her? Rose sighed, she wasn’t in the mood for questioning her friends. She felt way too weak to extend brainpower to figure out what they weren’t telling her. Rose would just ask Shareen later. 

“What did I do in the capsule?” Martha buzzed her lips. 

“I have no idea, to be honest. You kinda passed out afterward.”

“Why did I pass out?” Lucy’s tongue pushed on the side of her mouth and she looked to the ground.

“Well… you kinda held onto the power of the Time Shrapnel and almost died,” Lucy trailed off.

“What!” Rose tried to scream, but it came out as more of a whimper. Her eyes were heavy. The slow heartbeat lulling her a half-asleep state. Shareen gave her some more water to wake her up. “What did I do?”

“You’re not exactly a science whizz Rose,” Lucy told her. “You needed to do something, but you couldn’t tell us what. You held onto whatever normally gives you the visions and it really hurt you.” 

“Or something like that,” Martha injected. “We don’t fully understand what happened. I’ve got some stuff to tell you about the after-effects.”

“Like what?” Martha raised her hands. 

“Remember I’m just a medical student, we’re going to need to go to a real doctor and see if I’m right.”

“Just spit it out. I’m dying, right?” Shareen sucked in her cheeks and looked away. 

“Your cells are dying off at a faster rate than what a 21-year-old should have. It's like you have the body of a 55-year-old instead. You’re at a higher risk for a lot of things now: cancer, you’re going to bruise easier, and all sorts of other stuff. Your body has lost control of its DNA. That and your bradycardia.”

“What’s that?” Rose asked. “That’s like cardio right? So like something to do with my heart?” ‘Not a science whizz my arse,’ Rose thought. Just because she didn’t have a Ph.D. or wasn’t a medical student didn’t mean she wasn’t smart. 

“Yeah, it means your heartbeat is slower than normal. It can be pretty dangerous. Fatigue, dizziness, confusion, shortness of breath, and difficulty exercising. Those are only some of the symptoms I can think of.” Rose paled with wide eyes. 

“So I won’t be able to run from aliens?” Rose asked, panicked. Martha looked at Rose sympathetically. 

“Hopefully if we can get you a fancy alien pacemaker then you won’t have to deal with these symptoms for very long.”

“I’m gonna need a pacemaker?” Martha looked at her sadly. 

“Your heart rate hasn’t gone up substantially since you went unconscious. It’s just the best way to make sure your heart rate is normal.” Rose frowned and took a deep breath. 

“Ok, I’m pretty tired, so can I just get some sleep?” She asked her friends, knowing they would say yes. Lucy nodded and was the first one to leave. She pulled Shareen with her. Martha was the last to leave. Rose called to her. “I’m so sorry I’ve kept you here, do you want me to take you home?” Martha shook her head. 

“Not a chance, you need a doctor and I can’t in good faith leave you with Lucy as your primary caretaker while you recover. She only has half a doctorate.” 

“Half?” Martha sighed and started to close the door. 

“Just ask her when she comes by to bring you some food later.” The door shut behind Martha and the lights darkened. Rose used some of her regained strength to turn over in her covers and close her heavy eyelids. 

“Little Wolf,” a voice called. Rose wasn’t sure if she was dreaming or if it was the TARDIS speaking to her as normal. Either way, it was the TARDIS, no one else called her Little Wolf. “Little Wolf, are you listening?” Rose looked in the direction of the voice and found herself back at the Powell Estate. Her mum’s voice calling from Enoch Tower. 

What was the dream and what was reality? Rose asked herself. Rose looked down at her clothes. Pink t-shirt and jeans. Rose sighed, of course the cool part about adventures was the dream. She shoved whatever she could of her hands in her pockets and went to greet her mum. She walked up the stairs and headed to her flat. Her mum stood outside of the flat with her foot tapping. 

“Where have you been?” She asked. “Your boyfriend has been hanging out waiting for you and you know how I feel about him!” Rose rolled her eyes and entered the flat. 

“I’ve been out with Shareen. Sorry.” Rose walked into a large hug from her boyfriend. His tall body overwhelmed her short form. He smelled of warm bread and clean linen. She looked up to him with a smile. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you where I went, John. I haven’t seen Shareen in a while. She called and I just ran over.” His smile made her stomach flutter. 

“And I’m sorry for waiting around your flat for you, it’s just with your heart problems I wanted to make sure you were safe.” Rose giggled and snaked her hands in between his arms and locked them together. 

“I know you worry,” she said. “I should’ve called giving you or Mum the head’s up. Shareen or Lucy or even Keisha would’ve called mum if something went wrong though.” She took her hands off John and pulled his head down to her chest. He pressed her over her heart. “See? ‘S still beating.” John removed himself from Rose with a look from his kind brown eyes. 

“Ok, I’ll take my leave before your mother throws a teacup at my face. We’re still on for tomorrow right?” Rose nodded.

“Yup, though are you sure you really want me around at a University dinner?” He smiled down at her and kissed her forehead.

“Of course, and afterward we can make fun of the philosophy professors.” Rose smiled and he left the flat. 

“I brought you here so you could have a familiar place when I told you the news, not to canoodle with my Thief, though when he gets back I’m fine with it, but not when I’m trying to tell you something.” Huh?

“What Mum?” Rose asked. 

“Sorry hun, I said we’re having lasagna for dinner and I would love for you to help.”

“Alright Mum, d’ya want me to dry off the dishes?” 

“Yes,” Jackie said simply. Rose threw up her hands and walked over to the kitchen. “Having you dry the dishes ain’t gonna kill you!” 

“Yeah, yeah, I know!” Rose started to dry off some of the plates when Jackie turned on the radio. 

“Listen to me, Little Wolf!” Rose dropped the plate she was holding onto the tile in shock. 

“Sweetie, are you ok!”

“Yeah! Sorry! I think we lost a plate!” Rose bent down only to find that the plate was no longer broken into little pieces but was a takeout plate on the floor. She frowned and put the plate on the countertop. 

“Are you going to listen now?” Rose turned around and saw Donna? How did she know her again? “You’re dreaming and confused Little Wolf.” The TARDIS. Rose took a deep breath and let the off details of her flat come to her mind. Of course, she was dreaming. The world she thought was a dream was the real world. 

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to get so caught up,” Rose told her.

“You’re going to have some confusion while we get you back up to par.” Rose walked over to her sofa and her mum was gone. She cleared off the magazines on the sofa and sat down. The TARDIS was no longer Donna but her mother. The dream version of her mother was how she thought of her before she met the Doctor, but the TARDIS version of her mum had all the love she remembered she had. 

“What do you remember of Richard Lazarus?” The TARDIS asked. 

“Everything up until the capsule,” she told her. “It’s like when I couldn’t remember anything about being Bad Wolf.”

“The Student and the Plasmavore were incredibly close. You were never supposed to have those memories of seeing everything you saw when you and I merged. You didn’t hold onto the power you held onto the memories. Never do that again, your body has reacted more negatively than I ever thought possible.”

“What did you think was going to happen?”

“You were supposed to merge rather seamlessly. However, it has gone wrong.”

“Am I really going to need a pacemaker?” Rose asked. 

“Yes, it’s the only way to keep your heart working correctly.” Rose planted her lips in a firm line. The Doctor tried to convince Torchwood that her mum was Rose by saying she looked into the Heart of the TARDIS and aged 57 years and Rose’s body was that of a 55-year-old. Rose’s eyes widened and she looked at her skin.

“Am I going to age?” It was a vain question, but Rose was a 21-year-old. Would she be able to live her life with her friends if she looked 55?

“You might, but why does it matter?” The TARDIS asked. 

“Oh, I just, I just thought,” Rose trailed off. “Nevermind, I guess I’m shallow.”

“You were never shallow with my Thief.”

“You’re right,” Rose said. “I guess it doesn’t matter.” Rose stood up. “I guess it’s time to wake up.” The TARDIS stood up as well and hugged her. “Am I going to be ok?” Rose asked. 

“I can’t remark on your journey, Little Wolf.” The TARDIS as her mother faded away. Rose looked around her flat. It had been so long since she had been there. She shook her head as the room faded away around her. She closed her eyes and opened them again to find herself back in the hospital bed. She was a little less tired, but she still felt sluggish. There was a knock at the door. 

“Rose? Are you awake?” Rose turned over slowly as the door opened and Lucy entered the room. She carried a tray with food on it. She set it down on the table next to Rose. She noticed her eyes were open. 

“Hi,” Rose told Lucy quietly. 

“How are you feeling?” Lucy asked. She helped Rose sit up and set the tray on her lap. There were chips and a smoothie. A turkey sandwich right next to the chips. 

“Not great,” Rose rasped. Rose grabbed the turkey sandwich and her hands shook as they traveled to her face. 

“The TARDIS arrived when you passed out on its own,” Lucy told Rose. “None of us can fly her. Even though she’s sentient she’s still a ship, right? I didn’t think she could fly on her own.” 

“Neither did I,” Rose responded, mouth full of turkey sandwich. Rose waited for the TARDIS to speak in her head, but no voice came. ‘Old Girl? Are you ok?’ No response. Nothing.

“Rose? What’s wrong?” Rose began to panic. She set the sandwich down and tried again to get a response from the TARDIS.

“I can’t hear her, but she was in my dream! She talked to me there! Why can’t I hear her now?” Lucy grabbed the tray off of Rose’s lap before it fell. She set it down on the side table. 

“Don’t panic, we'll figure it out.”

“Well, it’s kind of hard not to panic when she’s gone! Where’s the TARDIS Visual Interface?” Lucy frowned and looked away. “Where’d the Visual Interface go?”

“The TARDIS had to get rid of Visual Interface to fly without a pilot. Diverting power from what would’ve been the Visual Interface to fly on her own.”

“How do you know that?” Lucy gulped and took a bite of some of Rose’s chips. 

“You told me the story when I was nine.” That wasn’t the whole truth, Rose could feel it in her very bones. She had accepted that Lucy would have some secrets, but this was serious. Rose had almost died, needed a pacemaker, had the DNA of a 55-year-old, and now she couldn’t even talk to the TARDIS. She needed to know what she knew. 

“Did you know this was going to happen?” Lucy stood up and backed away. “Lucy!” Lucy bit her lip. “Aarti Gupta! Tell me! Did you know what was going to happen to me?” 

“My father’s a surgeon, I’m the second Dr. Gupta,” she said, with a nervous smile. “You came back and asked my dad to do your surgery because the pacemaker was alien. I’m sorry, Rose.” Rose bit the inside of her cheek and looked away from Lucy. 

“You knew what was going to happen at Lazarus’ event?” Lucy shook her head. 

“You always avoided specifics, but I always knew you would need a pacemaker. I couldn’t tell you.”

“What about me not being able to lose my ability to talk to the TARDIS? Did you know that?”

“Try again,” Lucy said. She grabbed another chip and stuffed it in her mouth.

‘Old Girl?’ Rose said in her head quietly. ‘Can you hear me?’

_“Hello, Little Wolf.”_

‘You scared me,’ Rose relented. A calm humming filled her head. 

_“You’re too weak. Our connection will flicker until you are well again.”_

‘Well then, I suppose I’ll have to recover as soon as possible then.” 

***

The Doctor learned the female scientist was named Aarti Gupta and the male scientist was named Malcolm Taylor. Aarti was Indian and had a doctorate from this world’s equivalent of Oxford in chemistry and Dr. Taylor had a specialty in robotics. They were looking over atmospheric readings in Norway.

“Doctor?” Dr. Gupta asked. 

“Yes?” 

“I wanted to show you some star maps. I’ve noticed a couple of weird things. My wife loves astronomy so we go stargazing every night and last night we noticed our favorite star was gone.” The Doctor turned around and looked at Aarti confused. 

“Star’s don’t just disappear, are you sure it just didn’t move?” Aarti nodded. 

“That’s why I wanted to show you some star maps.” She pulled out a folder from her briefcase and handed it to him. It had star maps and detailed findings on the positions of stars. “My wife wrote that up for you. Make sure to take a look at it before you go to sleep. I’ve got to go, but I’ll see how you feel about it tomorrow.” Aarti packed up her bags and changed out her goggles for glasses.

“Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow Dr. Gupta, give my well wishes to Erika. Don’t forget to remind her that just because I delivered Tony doesn’t mean I’m delivering Lucy.” Aarti rolled her eyes. 

“Believe me I don’t want you delivering our child any more than you do.” Aarti took her leave and left the Doctor alone with Dr. Taylor. The Doctor walked over to Dr. Taylor’s station.

“How’s data looking?” The Doctor asked. Malcolm shrugged. 

“I’ve seen little to no atmospheric change ever since the last time it spiked. I’ll stay here a little longer. Go play with the baby Tyler before he goes to sleep. I’ll page you when I lock up,” Malcolm said, his Welsh accent strong as ever.

“You’re sure?”

“Don’t worry about it.” The Doctor gave Malcolm a small smile, grabbed the folder Aarti gave him and made a mad dash to the main house. Ever since the Doctor set his eyes on the little Tyler he knew it would be hard to let him go. His little hands and brown eyes so similar to Rose’s, he loved little Tony. He didn’t let anyone think that though. He was the Doctor after all. He had a reputation to maintain. “The Doctor hated domestics” and his first nine months in Pete’s World did him no favors. He reverted back to a personality no one but Mickey and Jackie recognized. He was similar to his previous incarnation. He didn’t do dinner with the Tylers, he didn’t go out in public, and he certainly didn’t leave the laboratory. However, Tony Tyler (who was approaching his first birthday) didn’t care about his little reputation. He just saw a long strip of brown clothes and the Doctor was fine with that. He was Tony’s godfather. Many of Jackie’s new friends and Pete’s trusted allies were concerned with the choice, but to hell with them. The Doctor opened the door to find Tiny Tony Tyler (he quite liked calling him that. Alliterations were the best) walking over to him. The Doctor set the folder Aarti gave him on a table and scooped Tony up in his arms. 

“I’m so sorry, Doctor!” Jackie called, chasing after Tony coming from behind a wall. 

“I don’t mind, it's good he’s a fast walker. It means when he’s ready to take a trip in the TARDIS he’ll be able to outrun a _zygon_!” The Doctor put on a scary voice and made a funny face to tease little Tony. The Doctor handed Tony back to his mother and she looked at him sadly. It was wishful thinking to assume they were going back with him to their original world. Jackie wanted to move back as soon as the Doctor found a way to cross the parallel worlds, but the Doctor didn’t know when that would be. Tony might’ve been a preteen when that was and would Tony want to leave his home universe behind? 

“You think I’m letting him in the TARDIS? No way, mister.”

“Doctor! And why not? He’s going to be jealous of Rose! It’s only fair that he gets one trip!”

“I’ve already lost one child to the TARDIS, I’m not losing another,” Jackie mumbled. It became so much easier to mention her. For so long Rose was a ghost in their home. No one mentioned her. Now with the Doctor’s hopeful attitude to finding Rose and how much time had passed since they were stuck there they just kind of accepted that not mentioning her hurt so much worse than accepting that she was there without them. It had been almost 2 years. The Doctor walked into the kitchen looking for a tube of banana yogurt. They had it in a tube! Wonderful! It was so much more efficient than using a spoon! He opened the fridge and pulled out the tube that had been waiting for him since it was delivered. 

“Do you need this folder, Doctor?” Jackie asked, from the living area the Doctor had entered from. 

“I’m going back to read it, Jackie. Don’t worry about it.” The Doctor heard the folder fall to the ground and Tony squeal. Dammit, he hated kids again. He ran to the fallen folder with the yogurt tube in his mouth. The star maps and write-ups were all over the floor out of order. Jackie was already on the floor trying to pick up the loose papers. The Doctor rolled his eyes and knelt on the floor. “Don’t worry about it Jackie, I’ve got it.” Jackie picked up a sheet and looked at it strangely. 

“What does this mean, Doctor? A star has gone missing?” A tear escaped the Doctor’s right eye. He wiped it away and took the sheet from Jackie. 

“Aarti said she and her wife can’t see a star in the sky. It’s probably just moved in the sky, but she’s a smart woman so I doubt she just made it up. I’m just gonna look over what Erika compiled.”

“Oh, Erika’s sweet, remind me to invite her in for coffee next time she comes by.”

“Jackie,” the Doctor said with a sigh. “I’ve got a lot to do.” He could hear Jackie roll her eyes. Tony giggled as he picked up a paper from the ground. The Doctor cringed as he heard it crinkle in Tony’s hand. Jackie grabbed it from Tony and handed it to the Doctor. The Doctor felt another tear well up in his right eye. ‘Not again,’ he thought. He slurped down the banana yogurt and waited for a headache to come. Time Shrapnel would be trying to break out of his head any minute. The Doctor stood up when the tear slipped down his face after grabbing most of the folder. He walked over to the sofa and sighed. 

“Doctor?” 

“It’s coming, Jackie.” Jackie walked over to him with a frown. She picked up Tony and walked away. The Doctor hadn't had a headache in a while and he didn’t want Tony to see. The Doctor’s right hand started to shake and pain pricked behind his eyeball. Soon it bloomed into his whole head. He gasped and grabbed a cushion in his hands. Something happened he didn’t expect though. He saw Rose. It wasn’t a memory, this was something he’d never seen before. He was back in the TARDIS. The Doctor smiled. He was back! He was back in his original universe. Rose hadn’t noticed him yet. She sat at the table in the kitchen, no _their_ kitchen. The mark of a tear traced her left cheek. The Doctor walked slowly to Rose. This couldn’t be real. She still hadn’t noticed his lumbering footsteps behind her. He stood right behind her. He could only see her. Not the chair she sat in, not the table, and not even the food she pushed around on her plate. He just saw his favorite person in the world.

“Rose,” he whispered. She still hadn’t noticed him. “Rose?” Nothing. Rose groaned in pain. He ran around the table to meet her face to face. “Rose?” She clasped her eyes shut and gripped the arm of her chair. Wait… was that a wheelchair? She opened her eyes again and a flash of light escaped one of her eyes. Golden light reminding him of the Game Station. “Rose!” He shouted. She still couldn’t hear him. _No_. She couldn’t see him. This was the Time Shrapnel affecting Rose’s body. How could he see her? What was going on? She let out a light scream and the Doctor could see her tremble. 

“Doctor?” Before the Doctor could respond someone else called her name. 

“Rose!” It was Aarti Gupta! She looked younger. “Are you alright?” She asked. Rose sighed as the Doctor felt himself fading away. 

“Remember this happens all the time, I’m recovering from surgery not made of glass.” Surgery? 

“Still, Martha should look you over.” Then the Doctor was back in Pete’s World. He was on the floor. Carpet pressed into his face and Tony sat in front of him. 

“How long have you been here?” He asked, but Tony didn’t answer him, after all, he was just a baby. He babbled in the Doctor’s face and grabbed his cheeks. “I saw your sister, Tony,” Tony moved his head in confusion. “Though I don’t know if I want to tell your mum about it, she didn’t look so great,” the Doctor whispered. He sat up and put Tony in his lap. “But I have to because she’ll kick me out into the lab forever if I don’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't plan on posting today and I'm not going to lie, I'm a little nervous about being back again, but I have to post sometime, so I guess now it when it has to be. I hope everyone is staying safe if they're protesting and I hope everyone who isn't is donating and signing petitions. 
> 
> I wanted to discuss the direction of the story in this note, but the chapter was messed up for me in the tag, so I'm not gonna write the whole note I originally wrote out again. Sorry if I seem annoyed, I just want to fix whatever happened last time.


	11. Will Rose Tyler Ever Get a Vacation?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor Rose, she needs a vacation, but will she ever get one?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please stay safe out there!

Rose spent 2 months in recovery after her surgery. She had an alien pacemaker so some of the effects were different than a modern-day earth pacemaker, but she still knew to avoid a high voltage transformer. She wasn’t allowed to lift anything heavy and she wasn’t allowed to run, but she felt so much better. She was just waiting to get the clear to be able to go on adventures again from her doctor. Her medical doctor and not a combination of Martha and Lucy. Lucy had cheated her way through school because everything was online and Martha hadn’t even taken her exams. Lucy’s father was the perfect physician for what she needed. He knew about alien biology and kept secrets. She really wanted to get out of the TARDIS. She loved the TARDIS, but she missed the adventure! She missed traveling. She heard a knock at her door. 

“Come in!” The door swung open and Martha walked in. She smiled at her. “I’m so sorry Martha, you’ve been stuck here.” Martha shook her head. 

“Don’t be, you almost died. I’m really just glad you’re alright.”

“I swear as soon as I can I’m going to get you home.” Martha shook her head. “I thought you wanted to go home?” Martha moved to sit at the end of Rose’s bed. 

“I told you, you almost died. What kind of doctor would I be if I just left you in the high and dry? I’m not that kind of person, Rose.” Rose gave Martha a small smile. 

“I still don’t like the fact that you’re basically forced to stay here because of me.” Rose crossed her arms. Martha looked at Rose with a small smile on her face. She shook her head. 

“I was going to ask to stay with you,” Martha told her. “When I saw you saving all those people I knew that if I left you now then I would never have been able to live with myself. I’m not staying because you’re injured, Rose.” Rose smiled slightly at that. “I’m staying because you helped all those people and I want to do the same. Not to mention, we traveled in time!” Rose’s smile grew wide and her mood picked up. 

“I’m excited to get back to adventuring soon.” Rose looked around the TARDIS. She loved being in the TARDIS, but she started traveling with the Doctor because she hated being stuck at home. She wanted to see the dead and gone days of the past. “I think we should give the past another go. The feeling of stepping into days that we were never supposed to see never gets old!” Martha stood up. 

“Ok, all we have to do is check-in with Dr. Gupta and get his opinion. You can pick, however, I’m pretty sure I don’t want to see any of those Green Masques again.” Martha shuddered. 

“Me too, but we can’t ever rule anything out.” Martha walked over to the door and smiled. 

“Just get up when you feel ready.” She left and Rose sat up on the side of her bed and looked in her mirror. She looked a lot better than she did two months ago. She was getting stronger. Rose didn’t know if she would ever get to what her body was before she overextended herself. After all, she now lived in the body of a 55-year-old woman. Sure she still looked 21, but she could’ve sworn in some lights that she had grey hairs. Rose had been using some of the best moisturizers in the universe to keep her skin as good as it was before everything, but some things would be inevitable for her. She contacted the TARDIS. 

_“Hello, Little Wolf, ready to go?”_

‘Yeah, I’m ready to get back to work.’ Rose sighed calmly and thought to herself. Did the Doctor ever feel this cooped up? Was he injured bad enough to recover for months or did he just regenerate? She missed him every day. His smile, his humor, almost everything. Even with four people altogether in the TARDIS it still felt empty without him. Rose stood up and changed her clothes. Maybe she could invite one more person? The TARDIS did say she took four companions excluding her. Who was her fourth companion? She was just taking everyone who wanted a ride, wasn’t she? Rose laughed humorlessly. Wow, she was like a crazy cat lady, but instead, she was inviting humans to time travel with her. Rose pulled on the Doctor’s jacket and took in its scent. Originally she thought it was a spare, but she was wrong. This was his famous jacket. She had something of the Doctor to keep her safe. Rose took a deep breath. What Doctor? Who was he? What scent? 

_“Little Wolf, stop ignoring my Thief,”_ the TARDIS said in her head. 

‘Whatever do you mean?’ Rose replied. 

* * *

“So where do you guys wanna go?” Rose asked, after being given the go-ahead by Gupta Senior to finally travel again. I’m kind of in the mood for the past considering what happened last time. Give you a fun experience.” Shareen blew some of her dark hair out of her face.

“Whatever you want, but we were kind of hoping to go to an alien planet. We didn’t get to go last time.” Rose looked at Shareen and gave her a slight nod. 

“Alright, let’s go.” Rose pressed on the buttons of the TARDIS and smiled. Finally, time to go show her friends the paradise they deserved. “Go and get yourself some clothes to wear, we’re going to a ski resort, not a beach. And pack a bag!” She called to them as Shareen, Lucy, and Martha ran to the wardrobe room. Rose looked down at her clothes. She had no intention of skiing, so her clothes were fine. She was wearing jeans and another cardigan, this time it was a light purple. but she needed to change her trainers into boots. Rose walked towards her room and pulled boots out of her armoire. Rose was supposed to take it easy as she started traveling again. She was thankful to have so many friends to help her out. She had Martha to keep her from overexerting herself, Lucy could help her with the kind of stuff Rose would’ve helped the Doctor with and Shareen… Shareen was her emotional support. Well, maybe emotional support wasn’t the right word. Shareen could keep her mind off of the ever-present hole growing in her heart. She just couldn’t think about the Doctor. The more she did the more it hurt. She had to pretend he wasn’t gone. She had to just act like he was on vacation or something. It was just easier that way. Rose pulled on her white snow boots and went back to the TARDIS console. 

_“You can’t avoid thinking about him forever,”_ the TARDIS told her. 

‘Watch me,’ Rose said back. ‘What Doctor? Who’s that? I bought you in a garage!’ Rose could feel the TARDIS’ disapproval. 

_“Ignoring your grief will only harm you more, Little Wolf.”_

‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’

 _“I’m not talking, I’m sending you a message in your head like telepathy. It’s different. If I could talk to my Thief then I would’ve done so all the time._ ” Rose’s brow furrowed and pressed her lips together. She heard her name being called in the wardrobe room. She marched over and saw a disaster. She sighed to herself. Clothes had fallen all over and Rose couldn’t even see Lucy. 

“What happened?” She asked her friends. Martha was standing by the door, looking to be involved in what happened the least. Shareen was sitting on a pile of clothes looking guilty as all get-out. 

“I saw this one jacket and it looked really cute, but Lucy wanted it too and I pulled on something, and the next thing I knew I was covered in clothes.”

“Get off me Shareen!” Rose’s eyes widened and she ran to the pile of clothes. 

“Shareen, are you sitting on her!?” Shareen stressed her mouth down and hopped off the clothes. 

“That’s where she went?” A hand shot out of the clothes like a hand from the grave. Rose grasped the hand and pulled it out of the clothes. Lucy popped out of the clothes and she gasped for air. 

“My life just flashed before my eyes!” Lucy cried. “I was going to die in there!” 

“I’m sorry it was an accident! There are just so many clothes!” Rose rolled her eyes and stifled a laugh. These people were goofs, the TARDIS never being quiet was certainly in her future. 

“Shareen, please try not to crush your fellow companions in the future,” Rose winked and started to leave the room. “Glacies should be fun, try not to get us kicked out of the resort with your fooling around!” Rose crossed her arms. “S’like I’m traveling with children! Wonder if that’s what…” Rose trailed off, not daring to finish her sentence. “I’ll be in the console room if anyone needs anything.” Rose stepped calmly to the control console. She expelled a breath from her mouth and grabbed onto a railing. They were about to land and well, Rose may have been able to fly the TARDIS, but that didn’t mean she could fly it _well_. She could fly it better than Shareen could’ve but still. Shareen couldn’t fly it at all so Rose supposed it was like comparing apples to oranges. Martha came out from the wardrobe room and smiled. She was wearing a red parka and black boots with a small duffle bag.

“Hey, Rose,” she told her. 

“What’s up, Martha? I hope you know I wasn’t calling you a child or anything like that.” Martha shook her head in response. 

“Don’t worry, I know. Being with Lucy and Shareen is fun though, even if they bicker a bit. Reminds me of when I would play around with all of my cousins as a kid.” Martha’s face fell. 

“You lost one of your cousins at Canary Wharf, right?” Martha seemed surprised.

“You remembered?” Rose nodded and walked over to Martha, giving her a brief, but comforting hug. “I thought you would’ve forgotten by now since I only brought it up once.” 

“My memory has been pretty sharp recently, besides you lost your cousin. I’m not going to forget something like that. We both…” Rose swallowed her sentence in her mouth. Martha gave Rose a brief look of sadness. Rose clenched her fists as Shareen and Lucy walked out, glaring at each other each with their bags. At least they listened to her, Rose thought. Rose looked back at them and got worried, but she realized it was more like a friendly glare and not an ‘I’m going to kill you’ glare. Rose sighed in relief. She pulled on the levers and flipped a switch. “Brace yourself we’re landing!” Rose grabbed onto the console and boom! She felt them land. Shareen fell to the floor and Lucy pointed down and laughed. 

Rose walked towards the exit and opened the doors. They were in a car park, but for all sorts of space crafts. There were steps that led up to the entrance of the resort. Rose didn’t bother to bring a bag, as soon as she checked into the resort (she actually set up her reservation before the whole Green Masques thing happened) she would bring the TARDIS into the hotel room, but if she wasn’t able to do it then at least her friends would have their clothes. The three other young women exited the TARDIS and stood behind Rose. Shareen’s eyes widened as she took in her surroundings. The snow on the ground seemed almost iridescent in the light and shifted between purple and green. Snow landed on Rose’s hand and it didn’t melt in her hand. It was cold, but not cold enough to make her shiver. It was like when she touched cool metal or held the hands of someone with colder hands than her. Rose shut the doors of the TARDIS and they all headed inside of the worlds renowned Glacies Ski Resort. 

It looked like your average fancy ski resort except for the lack of humans. Almost none in sight. Rose had a feeling that they weren’t actually “humans” per se anyway. They were humanoid though and Rose supposed that was what mattered. 

“Can I have all your mobiles for a second? I’m gonna do something to them so you guys can call each other and me.” The girls handed Rose their mobiles and Rose fiddled with them with her sonic screwdriver. She frowned when a certain memory popped into her head. Jiggery pokery and hullabaloo. Rose pressed her right palm to her forehead when her hands were free and sighed. She put on a smile and looked to her friends. She pointed to the waiting area. “Just go sit there while I check us in. Shouldn’t take very long.” 

* * *

It didn’t. Rose led her friends to the room and they all set down their bags. Shareen ran to one of the beds and flopped down on it face first. Rose didn’t have the heart to tell her how dirty that might’ve been. However, maybe Glacies was much cleaner than Earth. Rose hoped that was the case. Lucy sat down on the other bed and stripped off the cover. She sighed and whispered. 

“This is the lap of luxury.” Martha frowned and made a click with her mouth. 

“I forgot my bag in the TARDIS, must’ve dropped it when we were landing.” Rose grabbed both of her hands and cracked them. 

“Well I was just about to bring the TARDIS into the room, you can come with me if you’d like?” Martha nodded and the pair walked to the door. “We’ll be right back. I think, if anything goes wrong in the next ten minutes there’s a space taxi service that should bring you back to Earth. I think it’s been only about a day since the Lazarus incident.”

“We traveled back in time two months?” Shareen asked. 

“We traveled back to when the reservation was, so,” Rose paused and gave her a smile. “Yes.” Martha and Rose headed to the TARDIS and as soon as the door closed Rose grasped Martha’s hands. 

“Rose?” 

“If I get bored out of my mind during our stay on Glacies I need you to promise me that you will sneak off with me somewhere else.” Martha looked at Rose suspiciously.

“Why me?” Martha asked. 

“Because Shareen will get mad at me, Lucy only has half a doctorate, and you’re the closest to a medical professional we have.”

“Ok, Rose, but if you push yourself too hard, then we’re leaving.” Rose let go of Martha and gave her a thumbs up. Rose fiddled with the console and pressed her lips together. 

‘Please get us into the hotel room?’ She asked. ‘Please, please, please?’ She felt them start to move through Time and Space. Rose didn’t feel them land however and when she checked the Time Path Indicator and saw they were tumbling through the Time Vortex. 

“What’s going on!?” Martha asked, gripping hard onto the railing. Rose did the same. It was like they were on a terrible roller coaster.

 _“You both have to be on this course of action or a paradox will form. Simply call the Teal One and the Plasmavore when you’ve landed.”_ The TARDIS jerked and suddenly changed directions. The TARDIS was going awol and was doing her own thing. She supposed she couldn’t blame… she couldn’t… she couldn’t blame the Doctor anymore for all the times he hadn’t gone to the right place or even century. It was the TARDIS using the Doctor taking them to the places she wanted them to be. The TARDIS was the one in control now. She didn’t want to be frightened of the TARDIS, but at that moment she truly was. 

“Where are we going!” Rose shouted, not bothering to say it inside her head. “I can’t overexert myself! It’s only been two months! I still can’t spend too much of my energy or my pacemaker will lose its position!” 

_“You’ll be fine, the Student will help you.”_ An image was sent into her head and she pressed a blue button, blue stabilizers. Rose cried in relief as they landed softly in a place only the TARDIS knew. Rose sunk to the grating and took deep breaths. 

“Call Shareen, I don’t know how long we’ll be.” Rose pressed her eyes closed and tried to focus on calming herself down. Tears were filling up in her closed eyes threatening to spill out onto her clothes. She didn’t want to die, she was so excited to get back to traveling, but maybe she just needed to relax. 

“Rose, are you alright?” Martha knelt next to Rose. “You can’t stress yourself out like that.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered to her. “She wasn’t listening to me. She just took off. I have no idea where we are.” 

“It’s ok, Rose. You’re ok. We’re both alive and safe in the TARDIS. Just calm down and look at me. You need to calm down.” Rose opened her eyes and let the tears spill out of her eyes. Martha pulled Rose up. “I’m sure the TARDIS isn’t doing this to hurt you, you’re the only one who can fly her. Now let’s just get whatever she wants to do out of the way.” Rose looked at the Time Path Indicator to find them in Southwark! Southwark 1599. Why did that feel familiar? Why did the word Southwark send shivers down her spine? Martha, Shareen, and Lucy kind of glossed over the Time Shrapnel. She knew there was more they weren’t telling her, but she never ended up asking. She did have a lot going on then. She needed to ask one of them what happened later. For now, she just needed to focus on whatever the TARDIS wanted her to do. 

“We’re in 1599, Shakespeare’s time. Don’t suppose you fancy seeing one of his shows?” Rose asked. Martha smiled and nodded, but the smile disappeared as soon as it came. 

“Am I going to get carted off as a slave?” Rose put her hands to her chin thoughtfully. She considered all the options. 

“I’m pretty sure you won’t, but stay close to me just in case. These times weren’t awesome for either of us,” Rose paused, but quickly added. “Not that I’m saying my experience would be worse than a woman of color.” She gave Martha a nervous smile. Martha put her hand on Rose’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry, I know what you meant.” Rose walked over to the wardrobe. 

“Let’s go get changed. We’ve got to figure out what the TARDIS wants.” As they changed into simple outfits Rose dialed Shareen. 

_“Where are you?”_ She asked, somewhat worried. 

“The TARDIS took off! Like she was mad at me. Martha and I are back on Earth in the year 1599, I am so sorry! I tried to stop it but she just took off on her own. Hopefully, we’ll be back as soon as possible, but if you need to get off Glacies there is that taxi service.” Rose held the mobile away from her face waiting for Shareen to shout. After a few seconds when the shouting didn’t come Rose pressed her mobile back to her ear. That’s when the shouting began. 

_“Rose! How dare you press your mobile away from your face!”_ Rose pressed her phone away from her face and shouting got louder. _“YOU BETTER MAKE IT BACK OR SO HELP ME GOD I WILL FIND YOUR CORPSES AND DIG THEM UP!”_ Rose heard a knock in the background.

 _“Shareen!”_ That was Lucy in the background. Shareen stopped yelling and talked normally into the phone. 

_“Sorry, we got a noise complaint. The point still stands and if I find out you’re lying to me then I will do so much worse than what I threatened.”_

“I’m sorry, it really wasn’t on purpose.” Shareen sighed.

_“Just try to stay safe, this was supposed to be a relaxing trip. You’ve barely recovered from surgery.”_

“Ok, I promise Shareen. Martha is going to make sure I don’t overwork myself.”

 _“Good luck, Rose.”_ Shareen’s voice was shaky and Rose could tell she was super worried about her. Rose was worried about herself too. She took a deep breath and steadied her own hands. 

“Thanks, Shareen.” Rose hung up and she changed into a pale pink dress. She met Martha back in the console room and they descended upon Southwark. Martha wore a pale cream dress. Rose heard a shout and her and Martha ducked out of the way. It smelled disgusting. Of course, it did, this was a time when people just threw their waste out the window. Martha didn’t seem too fazed. Rose motioned with her head to the pile of sick in front of them.

“Nah, I’ve seen worse, long nights in A&E.” Rose nodded and they looked around. 

“I suppose it’s not that different from the ‘modern-day.’” Rose said as they saw a couple of free black women. Rose pointed to the men talking around a barrel full of water. “Remind you of something?” Rose asked, cheekily. Rose took a deep breath, she quickly regretted it when she started choking on smell. Still, Rose thought. She was back in the past. She really was traveling again. She missed this, she didn’t feel like this when they were in New Spain. Rose was too focused on showing her friends a good time than to actually take in the sights and sounds of New Spain. She was in her own country, ready to see some history with Martha. Rose didn’t know too much about Martha all things considered. Maybe it was good that the two of them would have this adventure together, instead of last time where they were running for their lives. They turned a corner and Rose’s eyes widened. 

“Is that?” Martha asked. Rose nodded rapidly. 

“The Globe Theatre. Wow! The Doctor…” Rose trailed off without thinking. She shook her head. Doctor who? Rose didn’t know any doctor except for Martha. Rose could feel the TARDIS disapproving in the back of her mind. “Look, Martha, it’s brand new! Wanna go check it out?” Martha nodded and they laughed their way to the theatre. 

“Doesn’t really look like a globe though, does it?” Rose agreed. 

“Yeah, it isn’t circular or anything. It’s got a lot of sides. I guess they just chose ‘The Globe Theatre’ because it sounded cool. I mean, name a more iconic theatre than the Globe.”

“Broadway?”

“That’s a street,” she replied. Rose extended her arm out. “Ready to meet the Bard himself, Miss Jones?” Martha grabbed it with a smile.

“Indeed I am, Miss Tyler!” The pair made their way into The Globe and watched as the performers put on their performance. It was a delight to be sure. Rose smiled as she realized they were all men! 

“I forgot that they didn’t have female actors back in these times,” she whispered to Martha. 

“Honestly, me too.” Martha nudged Rose gently. “It’s worth it though, being here. Even though the smell leaves something to be desired.”

“Wish you were back on Glacies?” Rose asked. Martha nodded reluctantly. 

“Yeah, but at least the TARDIS decided to drop us off here and not America 1850!” 

“True that, Martha! True that.” Martha expelled a breath. 

“If we’re going to be stuck here until we do what the TARDIS wants, yeah? Then I want to see Shakespeare! Author! Author!” Martha cried into the crowd. “Do people do that?” Martha asked. Rose shrugged, but soon the word author filled the crowd. 

“They do now,” Rose remarked. Just then a man came out with the kick of his legs. He was cheery like a kid who thrived off attention. That must’ve been him. That was Shakespeare. He looked a lot younger than what Rose thought he would look like. The crowd got louder, which confirmed Rose’s suspicions. He kissed his hand and thrust it out to the crowd. Screaming men and women clamoring to touch his hand. It was like he was a rockstar. 

“Looks different from his portraits,” Martha whispered to Rose. She nodded back to her, agreeing. She could almost hear he who must not be named cheering about Shakespeare. He would’ve loved this. 

“Shakespeare was supposed to be brilliant. A genius! Honestly, I only know what we studied in school. I wasn’t really the best student anyway, so your knowledge about him is better than mine.”

“He’s always invented new words. Now we’re going to hear him speak. Hope we get some of those new words today.” 

“Shut your big, fat mouths!” He told the crowd, surprising both of them. Rose was suddenly glad _he_ wasn’t here. He wouldn’t have enjoyed hearing that. Rose, however, found it charming. Made him seem far less stuffy than she thought he was. “You’ve all got excellent taste!” He looked out into the crowd and pointed to one man. “I see your wig! You aren’t fooling me!” The crowd laughed even more than they already were. Entertainment for the masses indeed. “Love’s Labour's Lost!” He shouted. “That’s a funny ending. You weren’t expecting that! I bet you, you weren’t! It just stops! Ends before a proper conclusion! Will the boys ever get the girls?” Shakespeare smiled. “Don’t get your twine in a tangle, soon enough you’ll find out! You never want to rush a genius!” Just then Shakespeare stumbled back just the slightest bit. If Rose didn’t have such keen eyes she wouldn’t have even noticed it. He smiled at the crowd. “You’ll find out tomorrow night!” The crowd’s cheers grew even larger. Rose’s eyes narrowed. Something felt a little off about this. The actors didn’t seem to know a thing about it. 

“How exciting,” Martha whispered.

“My new play will dazzle you! And guess what…” Shakespeare put his hand to his ear and the crowd fell silent. “It’s a sequel! I call it! Love’s Labour’s Won!” Rose looked to Martha stunned. 

“Like I said, I barely know his stuff, but I’m pretty sure that doesn’t exist.” Martha nodded. 

“I’ve never heard of it before.” A sinking feeling filled Rose’s chest. This was what the TARDIS wanted them to investigate and she didn’t think it was going to be good. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So since I've got a lot of characters, I figured it would be best to write certain adventures with only one companion. This was Martha's. Shareen's comes down the line, and Lucy's was kind of the Lazarus Experiment, but not really. I've realized it's ok to post stories in part now, so my 6,000-word chapters are coming to an end. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and see you next week! 
> 
> Please stay safe out there, wear a mask, etc.


	12. The Play's the Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose and Martha investigate Shakespeare and find out what type of person he actually is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep having the problem where my chapters don't show up in the tag and it's really annoying. Stay safe out there.

Martha and Rose walked, following the massive crowd ready to exit the famous Globe Theatre. 

“Do you think this is why we’re here? Something to do with this play?” Martha asked. Rose nodded slightly. 

“I mean I’ve never heard of it before and the TARDIS said we had to stop a paradox, so maybe this is it? But how do we stop?” Rose paused and began to whisper. “How do we stop Shakespeare from putting on a play? You saw him up there, he’s like a rock star. They love him.”

“Guess we’ll have to get close to him, but how?” Rose reached into her pocket and pulled out a little wallet shaped object. 

“Psychic paper comes in handy more times than not.”

“Is that what you used to get into Lazarus’ event?” Martha asked. Rose shook her head. 

“Oh no, I asked Harriet Jones if she could get us in. She may be the former prime minister, but she was still the prime minister! Not everyone wanted her removed from office. She could’ve done great things if she didn’t order down the shooting of the Sycorax,” Rose said bitterly. 

“Sycorax?” Martha asked. 

“Those were the aliens who invaded Christmas Day about a year ago. Well, a year ago your time. Here it’s hundreds of years in the future.” Martha put her hands to her chin. 

“Where have I heard that name before?” 

“On the news?” 

“No, I could’ve sworn I’d heard about it before the aliens invaded.” They finally made it out of the Globe. 

“Never mind that right now, the sooner we find out the truth about Love’s Labour’s Won then we can get out of here and go back to Glacies.” Martha nodded and they proceeded to ask around. They needed to find Shakespeare as quick as possible. Finally, they were led into the Inn where he was staying. Rose flashed her psychic paper to the Innkeeper and in a daze, she led Rose and Martha to the Bard in the flesh. Rose hung in the doorframe waiting for him to notice the two of them. 

“What do I always say?” He asked when he finally noticed Rose. His annoyed tone made her roll her eyes. Of course, he acted like that. “No autographs! No, you cannot get sketched with me,” he trailed off when he noticed Martha. He whistled at her. “Hey, nonny, nonny,” he said, very obviously attracted to Martha. Rose stifled a laugh. “You can sit next to me, here.” He motioned for his tablemates to leave and told them something about the costumes. The Innkeeper led them away calling Martha his new muse. “Hello, sweet lady.” Martha, heavily flattered sat next to William Shakespeare. “Your friend may sit too if she wishes?” Rose made her way out of the shadowed door frame and sat down next to Martha. 

“I do wish.” Shakespeare’s eyes were stuck to Martha. Well, maybe this trip wouldn’t be all bad. She would have something to tell the other girls about. 

“Your hair is most unusual,” he said, pointing to Martha’s updo. It was definitely different from the bun’s and ribbons everyone else wore. He looked at Rose finally and acknowledged her. “Forgive me, you are easy on the eyes as well, but your friend here. She is different.”

“No offense taken,” Rose told him. Rose pulled out the psychic paper. “I’m Dame Rose of the Powell Estate and this is my dear friend and caretaker, Dr. Martha Jones.” She flashed the paper to Shakespeare.

“That paper is interesting, Dame,” he said it as if he thought it was fake. Like he didn’t believe her. “It’s blank.” Rose scowled and nearly put the paper down. Martha looked at it and shook her head. 

“No, it says Dame Rose right there! And Martha Jones below it.” Shakespeare didn’t look impressed. 

“Well, I say it’s blank.” Rose put the psychic paper away and pouted slightly. 

“It never works when I use it! Psychic paper is so fickle. You must be a genius if you were able to see through it. Or have no imagination at all, but I don’t think that’s the case.”

“I’ve never heard the word psychic before. How strange considering I am a master of words.” Shakespeare put his hand to his mouth and looked at Rose and Martha with interest. “Who are you, and who is your delicious blackamoor lady?” Rose stood up with her mouth agape. 

“Excuse me?” Martha cried, indignant. 

“Whoops, aren’t those the words to use nowadays? How about ethiop girl?” Martha shook her head. “A swarth?” Again Martha shook her head. “A queen of Afric?” Martha let out a guffaw. 

“I cannot believe those words came out of your mouth,” Martha said, her mouth gaping open. Rose crossed her arms and sat back down.

“Martha and I are from a faraway land called,” Rose tutted thinking of a name quickly. “Tardisia.”

“Excuse me! Hold off on this exchange!” A man entered the room. He was dressed in fancy velvet clothes and a jeweled necklace. He looked more like what Rose thought Shakespeare would be. Stuffy and uptight. “This behavior is simply abominable! You cannot just announce a new play without going through the proper channels! I demand your script, Mr Shakespeare! I am, after all, the Master of Revels. You have not registered the new script at my office yet. I have not examined it which means it cannot be performed!”

“You’ll have tomorrow morning, first light,” Shakespeare replied, looking annoyed at the sight of the Master of Revels.

“You work to my schedule! It’s not the other way around! Give me the script at once!”

“I can’t.” The Master of Revels seemed to delight in his next sentence.

“Then tomorrow there will be no show.” Rose looked to Martha with the realization that this might be the reason they were hoping for. She didn’t even notice the maid move from the back of the room. Martha returned the look. “I am heading back to my office to receive a banning order! Love’s Labour’s Won will never be played, even if it’s the last thing I do.” The Master of Revels left the room and Martha turned to Rose with a beer in hand.

“Mystery solved, Rose. That’s the end of Love’s Labour’s Won, guess we can go home?” Rose looked at her hands and shook her head. The hairs were standing up on the back of her neck. Something wasn’t right. Even if the play was banned then she was sure at least a copy of the script would still be around. Before Rose could tell Martha her thoughts a scream came from outside the inn. A woman shrieked and Rose jumped up quickly, but Martha pulled on her wrist. “Rose, you can’t run too fast, you’ll work too hard.” Rose clenched her hands.

“Fine!” Shakespeare looked at them suspiciously. They made their way down to see what was wrong moderately slower than what Rose would’ve liked. The Master of Revels was on his knees, spitting out water. As if his lungs were full of it, but that was impossible considering he was on dry land. Martha ran to him.

“I’m a doctor!” She shouted. Rose followed behind slower. The Master of Revels spit out some final streams of water and collapsed to the ground and didn’t get up. Martha tried doing chest compressions, but when she opened his mouth water gargled out of it and she cried in shock. “What is that!?” Rose made her way over. Her nose scrunched up and she shook her head. 

“He’s gone, Martha.” Rose knelt next to the body. She made a tch sound. “Something is very wrong, but I haven’t experienced anything like this before. He drowned on land.”

“Isn’t that impossible?”

“Martha, remember, we can never rule anything out. Lucy would probably know something about this, but she’s not here and I don’t wanna call her when a crowd has gathered like this.” Rose stood up thinking on her feet. “This man has died from a reaction to beer. Tragic, but there was nothing my good friend could do.” Martha stood up, shaken by the event. The maid in the room they were in earlier stepped forward. 

“I shall call the constable and have his body taken away.” Rose acknowledged her briefly and she turned back to Martha. 

“A reaction to beer?” Rose shrugged. 

“I’m quick but I’m not that quick.” 

* * *

Back at the inn, Rose and Martha followed Shakespeare back to his room. The Innkeeper looked to Rose and Martha. 

“Dame Rose, I’ve booked you and your caretaker across the hall for the night.” Rose’s identity was that of a wealthy widow of a famous knight back in Tardisia. After his passing Rose returned home to her birthplace of England to see a high profile doctor for her weak heart. Martha was a doctor from Tardisia, but she did not have the tools to look after her, so she came with her as a caretaker. Dame was still in usage as the title of a knight’s wife, but soon it would be changed to lady. Rose frowned, she was back to only being able to talk to the TARDIS when she was in the TARDIS. She had no idea if she was on the right track or not. 

“Thank you, Miss.” Rose sat down in a chair. She was feeling exhausted. She put her hands to her temples and took a couple of deep breaths.

“This night has taken a strange turn of events. Even the Master of Revels, Lynley. And this Tardisia? Where a woman can travel alone? And a woman can be a doctor?” Martha stood by Rose rubbing her back. Her pacemaker could lose its position. 

“Where a woman has the freedom to go about her own business,” Martha retorted, still looking down at Rose. 

“And where for the most part we aren’t judged for our choices,” Rose added. 

“And you Dame Rose, you appear so young and weak, but I can tell you’ve seen so much more than anyone knows and your grief is simply overwhelming. I can feel it from here. You better be careful or you’ll pull everyone else that you love down with you.” Rose’s face shot up and she looked at Shakespeare with wide eyes. “And you Dr. Jones, you’re doing your best to keep her afloat, but you barely know her.” Martha’s hands traveled to Rose’s shoulders. They gripped her tightly, but not harshly. 

“I think Rose needs to retire for the night.” Shakespeare looked at them with narrowed eyes. 

“Until tomorrow,” he said. “I after all have a play to finish. Tomorrow I will get my answers out of the pair of you mysterious women.” Rose stood up abruptly and practically ran to her room, with Martha following close behind. Rose sunk to the floor thinking about what Shakespeare said. _You better be careful or you’ll pull everyone else that you love down with you_. That’s what he said. That’s what Rose was trying to avoid. That first week or two without him was easy. She had believed that he was coming back in the back of her mind, but she spent three months in her own mind to think and dwell and look over everything she did wrong that day. It should’ve been her. She should’ve been saved by Pete after falling. The fact that she didn’t was pure luck. 

She had friends around her in the month leading up to her surgery, but they were keeping secrets from her, so Rose didn’t like talking to them. Something about Southwark. There’s more there than they were telling her. She didn’t know why, but they were. They wouldn’t let her look up what happened to Lazarus either. She basically just spent that first month walking about the TARDIS and buying anti-aging cream at a market. Luckily it was working, but she skinned her knees once before surgery and it only healed now. She hated the 55ness of her body. Then there were the two months she spent recovering. She did little bits of physical therapy here and there, but for the most part, she was thinking to herself. Shareen hated seeing so weak, Lucy wanted to help her with everything, and Martha was constantly reading about Rose’s alien pacemaker. Martha was also constantly asking about how she was feeling. 

That’s when she came to the conclusion that pretending the Doctor wasn’t a thing was easier than hoping he would come back. God, she missed her mother. She would tell her to get off her butt and so something instead of wallowing. Rose could’ve sworn things were fine for her friends though. How was she dragging them down? Rose looked up from the floor and saw Martha sitting on the end of their bed, looking at her. 

“Rose? Are you alright?” Martha asked. Rose stood up and made a psssh sound.

“I’m fine, I’m the Queen of Fine even.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Rose shook her head and laid on the other side of the bed. 

“What do you think’s going on?” Rose asked Martha. Martha laid down next to her. “I’ve never faced anything like this before.”

“Do you think it’s magic?” Rose shook her head. 

“Magic isn’t real. That I do know, this is an alien threat for sure. I think I’ve heard of psychic energy before, but I can’t remember where. Humans for sure aren’t able to channel it though and if they were it wouldn’t be like this,” Rose said, her voice was distant. Martha could tell how hard Rose was trying to avoid what was bothering her. 

“It’s tied to Shakespeare, though, innit?” Martha asked. Rose nodded. 

“Definitely seems like that’s where this is heading. If only the Doctor was here, he would know.” Rose said it on instinct, unthinking. It just slipped out even though she was trying so hard not to mention him. She didn’t even notice she brought him up until a few seconds later.

“Rose?” 

“Yeah?” She asked, fearful because she knew what was coming next.

“What happened? You used to bring up the Doctor all the time, and now it’s like he never existed.” Martha saw tears in Rose’s eyes. They were glistening and glassy, like a doll's.

“He’s really gone,” Rose said quietly. “Like he’s really gone and I’m alone. It’s my fault too. It should’ve been me, the world is better off with the Doctor in it.”

“You’re not alone,” Martha told her. “You have me, Shareen, and Lucy.” Rose shook her head. 

“It’s different,” she whispered barely loud enough for Martha to hear. “I have no family. My mum is gone and the Doctor knew me better than anyone else. I didn’t need to tell him things, like when I was upset. He just knew he could tell. Whenever I was in danger I knew he would rescue me. There was no doubt in my mind that he would save me. I would always be alright by his side, but now it’s just me. I’m trying to do the things he was meant to do, but I don’t have him to save me. If I fail, it’s because I wasn’t strong enough on my own.”

“Rose, we’re going to do our best to help you.” Martha tried to comfort Rose, but she wasn’t sure if it was going to work. She didn’t know Rose very well. She didn’t know how to make her happy or what her favorite food was. 

“If you’re doing your best to help me then why are you keeping secrets?” Rose asked shocking Martha who didn’t know Rose was aware. 

“You’ll have to ask Shareen, it was her idea,” Martha responded. 

“Why can’t you tell me?”

“I don’t think you’re supposed to know before you’re ready. Ok? Can we please move on?” Rose sighed in frustration. Another thought crossed her mind which made her heart ache. 

“If I was the one on the other side of the parallel world then everyone would be much better off. Even myself. I wouldn't have had this stupid pacemaker and this stupid body. I wish it was me.” Tears leaked from Rose’s eyes and went down her face.

“Well, think about this,” Martha told Rose. “If you were in the parallel world then Shareen wouldn’t have known what happened to you and Lucy’s whole deal would’ve never happened. At least I don’t think so. I don’t know about me, maybe I would’ve met the Doctor during the Judoon, or maybe I wouldn’t, but this is the world that happened and this is the place you have to accept. These hypotheticals will only make you sadder. Take what you have in stride. You’re here and you’ve got me to help you out.” Rose smiled lightly at Martha. 

“Thanks, I needed that.” Rose turned into her pillow and she tried to sleep. One little talk wasn’t going to make all her problems go away. It wasn’t going to make Rose miss the Doctor any less, but Martha was right. She needed to focus on the here and now. Mourning the Doctor could wait, but she couldn’t ignore him completely. Rose had friends to help her out on the physical side of things too. It wasn’t all bad. Rose closed her eyes and drifted off into sleep.

Suddenly a scream woke Rose from her light slumber and she ran from the bed towards it. Martha chased after Rose and they came across the body of the Innkeeper on the ground. Shakespeare was asleep at his table. He woke up and looked at the scene in shock. Rose knelt by the body and Martha ran to the window where she saw… well, Martha wasn’t exactly sure of what she saw, but it wasn’t good. Rose examined the Innkeeper’s body and frowned. 

“It's like her heart gave out,” she murmured to herself. She reached for her own heart and clenched her dressed. Looking at the dead woman gave Rose sympathetic pain in her chest. “But how?” 

“Rose, come look!” Rose marched calmly to Martha’s position at the window, trying to keep her heart from weakening. Rose saw nothing but a full moon in the sky. 

“What happened? What did you see?”

“It was a witch! I know it!”

“Witches aren’t real! I told you.”

“I know what I saw Rose.” Martha’s seriousness gave Rose pause. She nodded and she started to leave the room. “Where are you going?”

“The library about the ship has to know something!” 

* * *

Rose opened the TARDIS door and felt the TARDIS enter her mind. Rose marched straight to the library and looked for anything that could help her. 

_“Hello to you too, Little Wolf.”_

‘Not now, two people have died.’ Rose felt the TARDIS hmph in her mind. Rose scanned the shelves for any old book that might know the enemies they were facing. Rose felt a pull to the back of the library where a book on some of the old species in the universe was. Rose flipped through its pages looking for anything that resembled witches. 

_“You talked to the Student about my Thief, I see.”_

‘So what? I’m here to stop a paradox and save these people, not sort out my immense emotional issues.’

_“Don’t the two go hand in hand?”_

‘Don’t get cheeky with me,’ Rose said nastily. ‘You couldn’t have given me a little break to be with my friends? Or had all of us go?’

 _“I picked the timeline closest to the original. Too many people and it might not have worked out the right way.”_ Rose huffed. 

‘Fine, but this isn’t over.’

 _“Wouldn’t dream of it, Little Wolf.”_

The next day Rose and Martha met Shakespeare for some light breakfast. Shakespeare looked rather shaken up by the events of the night previous. 

“Something must’ve shocked her so hard that her heart gave out,” Martha told the group. “It’s the only thing I can think of that makes even a modicum of sense.”

“But Dolly Bailey had such spirit, what could’ve given her such a scare?”

“I don’t know, but I saw a witch and if I saw that witch up close and personal I don’t know if I wouldn’t have had the same reaction.”

“This all tied around you,” Rose remarked quietly. Shakespeare looked at her with narrowed eyes. 

“Are you accusing me of witchcraft?” Rose shook her head.

“No, but whoever is doing this wants to get to you,” she replied. “All of them knew you. I’m just hypothesizing.” Martha turned to Rose and pointed to Shakespeare with her thumb.

“Hasn’t he written about witches?” Rose gaged Shakespeare’s reaction, which was one of surprise and she shook her head.

“Not yet,” Rose whispered. 

“Peter Streete spoke of witches.”

“Who?” Martha asked. 

“He was the head architect of the Globe Theatre. He sketched the plans for the Globe himself.” Rose jumped up with a smile. 

“In the book, I read last night it talked about how shapes had the ability to channel power!” The trio ran to the Globe and Rose examined the shape of it. There were 14 sides. That always bugged Rose as a child. Why not just make it a circle? It seemed more like a waste of building supplies than a smart choice. “Why 14 sides?” Rose looked to Shakespeare, who was standing on the stage with Martha, for the answer. He shrugged. 

“Peter Streete liked it better than the other shapes, what else is there to it?”

“But 14?”

“He said that sound carried better this way.”

“But what about the circle?” Rose asked, throwing her hands up in the air. “I’m sure a circle would’ve done the job just as well!” Rose put her hands on her hips. “What’s so special about 14?”

“Well, there are 14 lines in a sonnet,” Martha proposed. Rose pointed to Martha. 

“True!” Rose thought back to what her mum said to her that day. How she was turning into him. Rose was becoming more and more Doctorlike. She took a deep breath. She could do this. She could think like him. She just needed to get into the headspace she was before that day. “If shapes carry power then words must be able to as well, right?” Rose asked, no one in particular. “Like how we do maths, maybe someone else might be able to do calculations with words! Does that make sense?” Rose continued to talk to herself. 

“This is just a theatre Dame Rose,” Shakespeare told her, somewhat alarmed at Rose’s personality shift. 

“But come on! This has always been more than just a theatre! It’s the home of the great Shakespeare! The man who creates art! And as my friend Keisha used to say, art is magic!” Rose pursed her lips. “Actually that might’ve been Shareen.” Rose smiled as she felt the energy surge within her. She felt happy! Wow, she forgot how good something like that felt like. “I remember when I was really little, it was probably one of my first memories, my mum took me to the cinema to see The Little Mermaid. I must’ve been two or three. That movie changed me for a good year. Everything I wanted was mermaid related, which led to me discovering this horror story called The Shadow Over Innsmouth which terrified me!” Rose came to a realization. “Words can change almost everything about people. Which means they can change the minds of people too!” Martha looked at Rose strangely. “What?”

“You look happy,” she said. 

“This place can change people’s minds too,” Rose said quieter. 

“It’s like our ship! Small, but filled with power.” Rose’s mouth gaped. She nodded her head and walked over to Martha and the Bard. She looked up at them. 

“Martha Jones, you are a star!” Rose got up on the stage. “If only I could talk to Peter Streete. He probably knows.”

“You can’t,” Shakespeare said. “After finishing this place he went mad.”

“Really?” Rose said.

“What happened?” Martha asked. 

“He started saying things that didn’t make any sense. He talked of witches and heard voices. Unlike any ordinary man.”

“Well, where is he?” Rose demanded. 

“Bedlam.”

“What’s that?” Martha asked. 

“It’s supposed to be a hospital, but it’s really just a madhouse.” Rose grabbed Martha's arm. 

“We have to go there,” Rose told her. Martha bit her lip and sighed. 

“I know, but it’s gonna be filled with people who could cause you harm. What if we have to get out of there quickly. You’re taller than me, I can’t exactly pick you up and run out of there.”

“I will come too,” Shakespeare said. “I must see the truth with my own eyes.” Two men came in and Shakespeare handed them pages, probably of his play. “Ralph! Here is the final part! Make sure to copy it and give it to everyone!” Ralph nodded and he took the sheets of paper. Rose and Martha inched towards the exit. “Have it memorized. I will be back before the curtain rises. Remember to project my boy, eyes, and teeth. There’s always the chance that you know who might show up.”

“I think the Queen might object to being called, you know who, sir.” Rose didn’t hear that part though. None of them did. They were already on their way to the madhouse, Bedlam. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like Rose is finally talking about some of her issues. They aren't going away any time soon, but it's a start to the healing process that she needs to take. I mean, I've got an original episode coming up that specifically is about what she's feeling emotionally. I can't wait for you guys to see which characters make cameos (over even have main roles for a chapter or two)(more like 4 haha) 
> 
> Back to my issue, it's really bothering me because I thought I fixed it, but I didn't because I had the same problem today. I hate having to post my chapters twice. I just want to post it once and be done with it, but I guess you can't always get what you want.


	13. The Madness of Grief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Shakespeare Code part 2.

“Please tell me of Tardisia?” Shakespeare asked. “I must know about your strange land. Where women can be actors and doctors and even writers?” Martha nodded. 

“Isn’t the current monarch a woman?” Martha asked, rhetorically. 

“But that’s God’s business. She’s royal, isn’t she? Though I’m sure your beauty rivals that of any royal.” Martha rolled her eyes. 

“Don’t you have a wife back home?” Martha asked, knowing the answer. 

“That’s there and this is here! This is  _ town _ .” Shakespeare enunciated town for Martha to hear as they walked through the city making their way to Bedlam. Rose scoffed. 

“Come on, two people have died! Do we really have time to flirt with everyone?” 

“I do indeed flirt with everyone.” Martha and Rose looked at each other with wide eyes. Rose realized maybe the Doctor would’ve loved to be here. Rose’s eyes widened again in horror when she saw the state Bedlam was in. This would not be fun at all.

***

“Does my lady want entertainment? I can whip some of these madmen. I bet it’ll be a real good show.”

“Not at all, sir.” Rose’s tone was angry but polite. Martha didn’t share the same. Her face was disturbed.

“Just wait here for a second my ladies while I make him presentable for you.” The keeper went off leaving them behind in what really was more like a jail and not a hospital. It was dark and the mentally ill people were in cages. Rose shivered, she was never going to complain about hospitals again.

“This is what you call a hospital, here?” Martha asked angrily. “Where they are being jailed and whipped for entertainment purposes?” Shakespeare didn’t seem all that bothered. “You actually put someone you knew in here? Unbelievable.” 

“And I bet it’s all so different in Tardisia?” 

“Yes!” Rose and Martha chimed at the same time.

“It’s not perfect, but it’s better than here,” Martha said, folding her arms. “How can a man as clever as you think a place like actually serves a purpose besides torturing the sick!”

“I have lost my mind once, I’ve felt the tinge of madness. Fear of this place sent me back on the right path, so yes it does serve a purpose.”

“Mad, how?” Shakespeare looked down at the dingy floor. 

“Grief makes madmen out of all of us,” he said briefly, not willing to elaborate. “But I bet you know what I'm talking about Dame Rose. The grief that cannot be spoken aloud, that no one can understand unless they’ve lived it. The kind of grief that makes you question everything you’ve ever known. The futility of this world and this fleeting existence we call life, to be or not to be.” Shakespeare paused and pressed his lips together. “I like that.”

“Write that down,” Rose told him. “Don’t wanna forget anything.”

“Maybe not,” he replied. “It’s a bit pretentious, isn’t it?”

“This way, my ladies and lord!” The jailer said, calling them from down the terrible hall. Rose could hear the dripping of unsanitary water and the wailing of patients. These people deserved so much better care. The mentally ill were still people. She shook her head. Reforms wouldn’t come until the 1800s. These poor people would probably die here. The jailer unlocked the bars of Peter Streete’s cell and let Rose and company into the cell holding Peter Streete. “Please be careful, my lady, they don’t know their own strength. Some of them are very dangerous.” Rose rolled her eyes and turned to the large man. 

“I think they wouldn’t be so dangerous if they were treated with some respect and oh, I don’t know not whipped!” Rose turned to Martha in disgust. “Out of my sight,” she told the jailer. He left in a hurry, but before he could shut the door behind him, something in Rose told her to make Shakespeare wait outside with his hands on the door. 

“What for?” He asked, catching the door right before it shut on them. He stepped outside like Rose wanted. 

“Haven’t you heard? I’m frail and we might need to make a quick escape. What if the door gets stuck?” Shakespeare nodded and Rose knelt down next to the weakened Peter Streete. His teeth were black and spotty, they were probably going to fall out at any moment.

“He’s the same as he was when we first found him. You’ll get nothing out of him.”

_ “You’ll need my help for this.” _ Rose’s eyes widened and she nearly stumbled back onto the dirty floor. The TARDIS. She could hear her outside the TARDIS itself again? Rose shakily pressed her hands to Peter’s arms and the information drifted into her head. It was like how water moves from high pressure to a low-pressure environment. She learned the truth in almost an instant, but some details were slow to come. The witches would tell Peter things and managed to get him to build the Globe in the shape they wanted. They didn’t need Peter anymore after the Globe was finished so they made him go crazy. Rose needed to know where they were, but the information was slow to come. Someone was stopping the information. Rose delved into his mind somewhat forcefully and pried the information out of his head. 

“Too many words, but none spoken aloud.” Rose stood up quickly and saw a hag! She was standing right behind her. Martha pulled Rose away. The witch’s face was wrinkled and her nose was long and pointy. “Just a touch,” she said, creepily. Before Rose could stop the witch she touched Peter on his heart, killing him. Rose again felt a sympathetic pain in her chest. Rose ran to the door and Shakespeare let Martha and Rose out. The witch practically flew to the bars. 

“I can’t believe it! It’s a witch!”

“Who’s next!?” Shakespeare turned to run, but Rose knew the witch would just follow them. She reached over trying to grab Rose, like she knew Rose was the weakest of the three. 

“Can you stop her, Dame Rose?” Shakespeare asked. Rose shrugged. 

“No one on this planet has knowledge of us,” the witch said. “Which means no mortal has any power over me!” Rose shook her head. 

“But as my friend Shakespeare has proven,” Rose said. “Words have power in them.” The witch’s eyes widened. Rose thought back to the book she read last night. She took in every aspect of the being, but nothing came to mind, except for the TARDIS giving her the assist yet again. Rose smiled creepily at the witch. “Back away or I will name you. I don’t think you want that.” Rose back away slightly. That gave the witch some pause. She smirked in Rose’s direction. 

“You lie!” Rose frowned. 

“I didn’t want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice. I name you, now and forever, Carrionite!” The trio ran as quick as they could out of the sanatorium. Rose didn’t look back as she heard the shrieking of the Carrionite. Rose didn’t think it was dead, but she could never be sure. Rose felt the TARDIS leave her mind and Rose felt disappointed. She was getting weak.

“What just happened?” Martha asked confused. 

“Never mind that! We have to hurry! They’re planning something bad!” Rose felt herself grow weaker. She was slowing down. Shakespeare looked at her and threw her over his shoulder. 

“Rose, you’ve over-exerted yourself.”

“Again, we don’t have time for that!” The trio found themselves back at the inn. Martha gave Rose a glass of water and Rose drank the whole thing in a few seconds. 

“What do these people want?” Shakespeare asked. 

“What else does anyone want? They want to take over the Earth. Every time I go to a new place it’s the same old story.”

“What happened earlier?” He asked again. “You touched him and that was it.”

“I’m not 100 percent sure myself, but I know that they used Peter to create something for them. They live on All Hallows Street. They’re going to use the Globe tonight. I can feel it.”

“How though?” Martha asked. Rose turned to Shakespeare. 

“I said it earlier, these people use words for calculations and you said last night that you’re a master of words.” Shakespeare stood up in protest. He wiped his face down with a wet, white cloth. 

“It is not my fault!” He cried. “I’ve done nothing but write!” 

“You were doing it last night,” Martha said. “Last night while the Carrionite was in the room. You were finishing the play, right?” Shakespeare nodded. “We know that the Carrionites use words, well, what if they used your words to make their spell?”

“What happens at the end of Love’s Labour's Won?” Shakespeare looked confused like he couldn’t remember it. 

“I don’t know, the boys have a dance with the girls. It finally ends and it’s funny and provokes thought as usual, but I can’t recall the words.” Rose looked at him confused. “I don’t even remember writing them.” Rose came to the realization of what was happening.

“The Carrionites must’ve given you the words. That’s why you don’t remember them. The words are calculations which means this is an equation! And the shapes convert the energy made from the powerful words! Which means the play itself is the weapon they’re using!” Martha looked through the shelves of Shakespeare’s room. She found a map and pulled it out.

“Rose said the witches were on All Hallows Street, so we have to go there and stop the witches, but in case we don’t succeed. Will, I’m going to need you to stop the play.” Rose hit Martha gently on the upper arm. 

“You’re good at this!”

“Thanks, Rose!” Shakespeare looked at them sadly.

“You want me to rid the world of my play?”

“It has to be done,” Rose told him. “The world will end if it goes on.” Shakespeare nodded gravely. 

“Alright, I’ll do it. I still may be the cleverest man in the room, but your knowledge is so much different.”

“Oi!” Martha chimed in.

“I’m not insulting Dame Rose. In a few years, she could be the most brilliant human alive, but for now, it’s still me.” Shakespeare, Rose, and Martha went their separate ways with a “good luck”. Martha ran ahead of Rose, she was quicker and was able to get there first. Rose arrived about a minute after Martha who was already looking to see what house. Just then, as Rose arrived, the house in front of them’s door opened wide. 

“I suppose we go in there, then?” Martha asked, rhetorically.

“Yup, danger awaits.” The pair entered the creepy house. Rose pushed back a cloth and saw the room covered with candles. The floorboards were coming apart and the house wasn’t very well maintained. The pair of young women came face to face with the maid from last night. She looked at the pair expectantly. 

“So you’ve been waiting for us?” Rose told her. 

“I think death is the only thing that’s waiting for you.” Martha stepped forward, full of bravado.

“It’s my turn now, I know how this works. I name thee,” she said, pointing her finger at the young Carrionite. “Carrionite.” The Carrionite squeaked but seemed otherwise unaffected. 

“The power of name can only work once,” she told Martha. “Like so, as I gaze upon this bag of bones, I name thee  _ Martha Jones _ .” Martha collapsed and Rose ran to grab her, but it was too late and she hit the floor. “Alas, she is only sleeping.” She pouted and made a tutting sound. “She is out of her own time and her name has less power.” Her pointed finger made its way to Rose. “You are similar yet you have two names? And a name you keep close to your chest.” She walked over to Rose. “Every day the sun grows hotter, a certain Rose misses her  _ Doctor _ .” Even though she said her name, she felt nothing. Rose stood up to find the witch a little taller than her.

“How dare you!” Rose jutted her strong chin out. “You’ve made a big mistake, lady! That name gives me power!”

“Does it, though? You say that, but where’s the evidence? You saw the power does engulf, but all I see is one tamed  _ Bad Wolf _ .” Rose felt power surge through her body. Instead of being weak she felt awakened. Rose hadn’t felt like this since Lazarus. The burning was more like when she drank hard alcohol and not fire. That was good, she wouldn’t burn up this time. Wait? Burn up? She tried to access the memories she could’ve sworn she lost, but something in her told her not yet.

“I don’t know much about you, but the information will come.” The Carrionites were awakened from their seal by the new words of Shakespeare. Like swagger. When he faced the grief he spoke about earlier, the death of his son they entered his mind. He was just mad enough. Just the three of them came through. Doomfinger, Bloodtide, and Lilith. Of course, the play would be the trigger to free them all. Rose saw gold light reflecting in the water. It came from her left eye. The pain started to set in, she hoped it wouldn’t mess with her pacemaker. She saw how the Doctor would’ve done it if he was here. Rose nearly snorted. “Oh you’ve got a beautiful name,” she told the youngest Carrionite. “Such a shame how I’m going to use it.” Rose grabbed onto her clothing and started to expel the power. Like when the Green Masques kidnapped her and her friends. “I name thee,  _ Lilith _ .” Lilith screamed in pain and she burned up into ash. Rose turned to Martha and she awoke. 

“Rose, what happened?” Rose shook her head.

“Nevermind that, we’ve got two more Carrionites to vanquish.” Martha’s eyes widened when she realized what happened to Rose. 

“Your eye,” she said in fear. Rose shrugged and pulled Martha out of the witches' house. 

“We need to get to the Globe!” Rose could feel the power fading and the pain grow more potent. She couldn’t overexert herself, but she bought a little time by dealing with Lilith in the moment. She jogged with Martha to the Globe, going the right way the first time. By the time they arrived at the stage door the power had completely faded. Rose could hear the laughing of Carrionites and she rolled her eyes. Of course the one thing she didn’t oversee herself went wrong. Rose grunted in pain and leaned against a wall.

“Rose?” Martha put her hands on Rose’s shoulders. She shook her head. 

“I’m fine,” she said, but when she pried herself away from the wall she nearly fell to the ground. Martha held Rose up with her arms and Rose leaned on her for support. They found Shakespeare rubbing his head by the stage. “You had one job,” Rose groaned out. 

“I hit my head.” Rose looked to Martha and she dragged Shakespeare along with them. Red light was emitting from the center of the Globe. Carrionites were flying out of the red light. Rose turned to Shakespeare. 

“You can reverse it!” She told him. “They came to you from your words, which means you can create the words to send them back!” 

“But I have nothing prepared!”

“You’re William Shakespeare! Are you the man I read about in school or not?!” He removed Martha from him and he looked at Rose strangely. 

“These Carrionites need such precision, how can I compete?”

“How do you start writing your plays? You start with an idea, and your current idea is “go away Carrionites”, but now you have to build off of it from scratch! You can do it!” Rose’s legs were like jelly and she nearly fell to the ground. “You can create the most incredible words, that’s why they used you in the first place, now fight back!” Shakespeare stood up and stared at the red Carrionite flash. 

“Close up this decay, oh so din and dire, decomposition of your nefarious plot. You thieve my brains and use me like I am your puppet, but my friends Martha and Rose tell me that I will rise above it and that I am not! You, Carrionite spectres, oh so cruel and vile! Between your points…” Shakespeare was running out of things to pull from. Rose reached from the deep recesses of her mind. 

“And end this show, for this world is not for you to blow!” Shakespeare turned to Rose slightly and gave her a nod of gratitude. He repeated the statement. 

“Banished like a tinker’s cuss, I say to thee…” Rose needed to think, think, think!

“You aren’t as good as the TARDIS!” Rose shouted, changing her pronunciation of TARDIS to Tardus. After all, isn't that what poets did? 

“You aren’t as good as the TARDIS!!” Everyone shouted. Rose heard one of the witches scream in agony. 

“And I name thee! Doomfinger and Bloodtide!” Rose yelled for good measure. All copies of the play came flying out and the Carrionites started to vanish. It was being swirled up in a vortex. Soon it all turned back to normal and the crowd that was locked in started to clap. Rose looked at where Love’s Labour’s Won had disappeared to. That’s the end of that paradox, Rose supposed. As much as Rose wanted to stay up, she exhausted herself too much and she fell unconscious on stage. 

Rose woke up the next morning in the TARDIS. She was back in her own bed. The smell of clean linen made her feel fresh. However, her head still ached. She knew her eye was glowing, at least it was slightly. 

“Can you see me, Rose?” A man’s voice came from the side of her head. It was a shadow looming over her, but it wasn’t negative. “Please hear me!” Rose shot up from her bed and looked around. Her headache was gone and so was the shadow. She could’ve sworn she knew who it was. Rose got up and found a note on her bedside table. Martha was at the Globe and Rose could join them when they were ready. Rose stood up and changed into a fresh dress. This time it was a light green. She slipped out of the TARDIS, thinking the voice was only a dream. She entered the stage door and looked through the prop room. Might as well scare Martha and Shakespeare with something. Just then, she found a weird skull in the back of the room. She picked it up and walked out heading to Martha. She was sitting next to Shakespeare sitting down and looking awfully cozy. 

“Martha look!” Martha stood up quickly. “Remember when I told you about the Sycorax!” Martha nodded. Rose pointed to the skull. “This reminds me of one.”

“Sycorax, huh? I like that,” Shakespeare said. “Did you see any copies of my play?” He asked. Rose shook her head. 

“No, but maybe it’s best the play is forgotten. Those words might still have a bit of magic left in them.” Shakespeare shrugged and stood up as well. Rose noticed an empty crystal ball. She leaned over and picked it up off the ground. It was empty. “Cool, this’ll look great on my wall. Can I have it?” Shakespeare nodded. “We best head back to Tardisia. Any more excitement and I might have a heart attack.” 

“You mean your Time and Space ship?” Rose’s eyes widened. 

“How?” 

“And I know you’re both from the future. You’ve something otherworldly like the Carrionites, but I’m still going to assume you’re Human. It’s really not hard to work out at all. You were never married, but I can tell the grief you feel is real.” Shakespeare put his hand on Rose’s shoulder. “Maybe it’s best we both learn to move on and accept what happened. I will write out my feelings in my latest work, you should find a way to process whoever you lost.” Rose swallowed a breath. The Doctor told Rose once to impress her back in the first days she knew him that he met Shakespeare. He helped him write Hamlet. 

“Once, he told me he met you. He met you before he met me, but he should be meeting you very soon. Don’t mention me when you see him.” Shakespeare raised his hand in confusion. “You will know it’s him. You’ll just know.” Shakespeare nodded and accepted. He turned to Martha. 

“Let me say goodbye the best way I know how. I shall give you a sonnet,” he told her. Martha’s mouth gaped. Before Shakespeare could say anything more the sound of people running filled the Globe. Two of Shakespeare’s actors were out of breath. 

“Will! Will! She’s turned up!”

“She heard about last night!”

“She wants us to do it again!” Shakespeare cocked his head in shock. 

“What? Who?” 

“Her Majesty the Queen!” A fanfare sounded and there she was. Queen Elizabeth the First in all her glory. Rose’s mouth opened but didn’t close. 

“Rose Tyler! My sworn enemy!” She cried in anger. 

“W-what?” Rose stuttered, holding the crystal ball closer to her chest. Though she was not above throwing it at someone to get away. 

“Off with her head!” Rose’s eyes widened and she took off in the other direction of the queen. 

“Why do English queens hate me!?” Rose looked behind her briefly. Martha was following behind. 

“Thanks, Will!” Martha said. “Catch ya on the flip side!” They raced out towards the TARDIS which was parked closer than before. “What have you done to upset her?” Martha cried. 

“I don’t know! I haven’t even met her yet!” Rose unlocked the doors of the TARDIS and they sealed the doors shut. Rose made her way over to the TARDIS console and flipped a new edition to the console, brought back just for her. The fast return switch. It was taking them back to Glacies. Martha started laughing and went to her room to change her clothes. 

_ “Paradox averted,” _ the TARDIS told her. 

‘Good thing too. The world probably would’ve ended,’ Rose remarked. 

_ “I’m not talking about the Carrionites.” _

“Then what were we forced to go back and fix?” Rose asked aloud. 

_ “William Shakespeare needed to hear the word Sycorax!” _ Rose blanched. 

“We went through all that when we could’ve just yelled that at him from the street!” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I've spoken about this before, but the wasps are back. Back outside my window and everything. This is why I could never be a companion, I see the giant wasp from the Agatha Christie episode and I'd faint from terror. 
> 
> I wanted to address some of the JK Rowling stuff here. I wrote The Shakespeare Code before she was outed officially as a transphobe, I just didn't think the Harry Potter stuff was necessary to the plot. Rose has a lot more emotional baggage about the Doctor being stuck than he did in the show because even though it wrecked him, he'd lost people before and he knew he was going to lose her eventually. Rose promised she was never going to leave and she meant it, but now she doesn't even have her mother to help her get through everything or Mickey's guiding influence. I just didn't think Rose or Martha would feel the need to bring up Harry Potter at that moment in the bed because they have bigger fish to fry. Martha's a little bit more experienced now than she was in the original.
> 
> Also, the reason for Elizabeth hating on Rose is different here. It's a pretty good reason too, but you won't find out until an original episode on the season/series 4 rewrite. The 50 anniversary is gonna be pretty different from the original because of it, but I think my reason for Elizabeth hating Rose is much better than the original, so look forward to that!


	14. Welcome Back to New Earth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose goes to New Earth with the gang and some secrets are revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some departure from the original episode here, but don't worry.

They made it back to Glacies a day after they had left. Unfortunately Rose only paid for a day so she didn’t get her fun ski vacation. Rose opened the door of the TARDIS and Shareen practically jumped onto Rose. She wrapped her up in a hug.

“You’re back! I was so worried about you!” Shareen sniffed Rose’s hair on accident. “Ew, what is that?” Rose realized she had not had any time to shower since going to 1599. She pushed Shareen off of her. 

“1599 didn’t exactly have indoor plumbing, Shareen.” She looked past her and saw Lucy standing by the doors. Rose gave her a smile. Lucy also jumped on Rose. 

“Are you ok? You didn’t have any problems?” Lucy asked. Rose shook her head. 

“Not really no.” Martha sat up straight in the jumpseat.

“What am I chopped liver?” She rolled her eyes. Shareen walked over and gave her a quick hug. 

“We just figured you would be safe, that’s all.” Martha gave Shareen a playful tch sound. 

“Alright, sure.” 

“You have to tell us everything!” Lucy said, excitedly. “You went to 1599! How was it?” Rose shrugged and puffed out her cheeks a little, letting the air flow out slowly. 

“We were attacked by witches and Shakespeare fell in love with Martha, but that was really it. I’m gonna go shower so I can check you guys out of the hotel and we can leave. I’ve got a plan for where we’re going next.” 

“Where are we going?” Lucy asked, excited. Rose put her finger over her mouth and started walking away. 

“Shush, it’s a surprise.” Rose hopped in the shower and started to clean off the 1599 from her body. Martha had showered before her, so she was good. 

_“Keep a close hand on your companions,”_ the TARDIS told Rose, as the warm water cascaded down from the showerhead. _“Do not let them go. There are many ways that this can go and the easiest path is the one where you keep a good hold of the Teal One, and the others.”_

‘What do you mean? Keep hold of them? We just won’t go if it’s going to be a problem.’

 _“You have to go, the timeline could fall apart if you don’t go.”_ Rose felt the water shoot out at her freezing cold. Rose turned off the water quickly and coughed. 

‘Why did you do that?’ She asked, glaring at the walls of her bathroom. She was freezing cold, she sunk down to her knees, trying to keep in body heat. 

_“You have to go._ ”

‘Have to?’

 _“Yes!”_ Rose sighed and nodded her head. 

‘Ok, we’ll go, can you please turn the hot water back on?’ The water shot on. Rose stuck her hand back in the shower and she sighed in relief when it was just the right temperature. She stepped back into the shower and finally washed all of the 1599 off of her. 

After her shower, Rose checked out of the resort and she gathered all her friends. 

“Let’s all stay together for where we’re going next. Don’t want anyone to get lost on an alien planet.” Rose sighed and put her hands in the pockets of her jeans. “Any questions?” Lucy raised her hand.

“About that surprise, are you willing to tell us now?” Rose smirked.

“No.” Rose turned a nozzle and they were off to New Earth! Rose contacted the TARDIS. ‘What’s the best way for me to do this?’ Rose asked. 

_“Keep them close, Little Wolf, New Earth is different from how you left it.”_ Rose’s eyes widened and she gripped the console tightly. 

‘Are my friends going to get hurt?’ 

_“Just keep them close to you.”_ Rose scowled internally at the nonanswer but kept up the happy facade. If thinking about coming to New Earth was implanted in her head somehow, then who did it? It was weird she actually even thought of coming without _him_. All the positive memories she had of New Earth were tainted by the fact that she lost him. In fact, it was like that for most of her memories. She had the weight of the universe on her shoulders and no one around who understood what it was like. Rose pushed her mouth to the side of her face in thought. Maybe she would find her new companion on New Earth. Yeah, inviting someone else onto the TARDIS seemed like a good idea. Rose’s eyes widened in realization. If that thought was implanted, then how many of her own thoughts were real? 

“Rose?” Martha appeared at her side, almost like it was out of nowhere. Rose shook her head, she must’ve just been tired. “Are you alright? Get enough sleep last night?” Rose nodded. She turned to Shareen who was looking at her, worried. 

“You’ll never guess what happened when we were in 1599,” she told her. Shareen’s mouth opened and she smiled. 

“What happened?” She walked closer to Rose. She looked to Martha. “Martha! What happened?” Rose laughed a little bit and moved the TARDIS a little bit. 

“I met Queen Elizabeth the First.” Shareen gaped. 

“No! You didn’t!” Rose jutted out her chin a little, like how a peacock showed off its feathers. 

“I did!” 

“It wasn’t a positive interaction, mind you,” Martha interjected. 

“Is that why there’s an arrow stuck on one of the TARDIS’ doors.” Lucy asked. Rose nodded and braced herself for impact. 

“She tried to have me beheaded. I thought Queen Victoria was harsh, but she takes top prize for the English Queens Who Hate Rose Tyler Award.” 

“What did you do?” Shareen asked, as they landed in the year 5,000,000,000 (well it was a few years after that, but it was the century that mattered) in a remarkably soft landing. It was like the TARDIS was apologizing. Duly noted, she thought.

“I have no idea what she’s talking about, I haven’t even met her yet! Now I’m not so sure I want to.”

“But you have to,” Lucy said. “Because she knew you, you have to know her.” 

“Yeah, I know,” Rose said with a sigh. “Time travel is so messy.” Rose looked at the coat rack by the door that had his (now hers) famous coat hanging from it. Rose considered putting it on, but she was probably going to take it off to try on new ones anyway. “Anyway, welcome to New Earth.” Lucy’s eyes widened. 

“I can spend my credits here!” Rose’s eyes narrowed at her. 

“When did you get credits?” Lucy scratched her head.

“The Judoon gave me compensation on the Moon after you left they questioned me about being half-alien, but they were looking for a full alien so, in the end, they gave me compensation. Can’t exactly use it on Earth because no one uses the currency yet, but I bet it works now.” Lucy pulled out a little baggie full of credits. “But when are we?” Lucy frowned. “Obviously the future hence New Earth, but what if we’re so far into the future that my currency doesn’t work? Will I ever unload these credits?” 

“The world may never know,” Shareen whispered. 

“Welcome to the year 5,000,000,000 and some. The last time I came here was about 24 maybe 25 years ago. The Earth had been swallowed by the sun and apparently the evolved Humans decided to find a new habitable planet. This planet is supposed to be really similar to Earth.”

“But you couldn’t have taken us to our own planet in the future?” Shareen asked. 

“Do you really wanna be able to find out where you’re buried?” Rose asked back. Shareen shook her head. “See maybe it’s better this way.” Shareen shrugged and Rose opened the door on New Earth. She heard the pouring down of water and she frowned. She plucked the arrow out of the door and pointed at the outside with her arms. “So… New Earth?”

* * *

The Doctor needed to find out what was happening between him and Rose. The walls between the universes were completely shut. Or at least that’s what he thought. He had seen her, and for just a moment he thought she could hear him. The headaches connected them, that was for sure. Time Shrapnel was pulling them together. The Doctor needed to find the hole in the universes that allowed him to see her. 

“Doctor!” Dr. Gupta called from the observatory. It was night and since Tony was officially a year old the whole team decided to throw Tony a party under the stars. Pete had purchased one of the largest and most powerful telescopes in the world. Tony was going to grow up, unlike Rose, in the fact she had to make do with what she had. Jackie gave Rose love and did her best, but when times were tough then times were tough. Tony would have Pete AND Jackie and all the money in the world. That kid, however spoiled he may be, would eventually experience the wonders of the TARDIS and be immediately humbled by the sheer vastness of the universe, at least that’s what the Doctor thought. The Doctor came out and smiled at the crowd that gathered for Tony's birthday. Malcolm, Aarti (and her wife Erika), Mickey, Pete, and Jackie. It really wasn’t a crowd, but it was everyone the Doctor knew. There were nine seats at the table, well, eight seats, and a high chair. The extra seat was saved for Rose. Jackie always saved a seat for Rose. She used to do it when she lived in the Estate alone. 

“Where’s the birthday boy?” The Doctor asked, looking around for Tony.

“Right behind you Doctor.” Jackie stepped in front of him with Tony in her arms. He was dressed up in a checkered shirt and TARDIS blue pants. The Doctor lifted his right hand to Tony’s stomach. He could speak baby, though Tony was almost never one to talk back, but he seemed excited tonight. The Doctor spoke a little babble and Tony’s face lit up. His little chubby arms reached out for the Doctor’s nose, but he shook his head. He stuck his tongue out at Tony and smiled at him. “He’s really taken with you, Doctor. Sometimes I think more than he is with me,” Jackie told him. She turned to Pete who was right behind her. “Why him? First Rose and now Tony!” 

“Doctor! Come see this!” Aarti called again. The Doctor ran to the telescope where Aarti and her pregnant wife were observing. 

“What’s wrong?” He asked, jogging over. Erika put her hands on her hips. Her stomach protruding out. Lucy Gupta was in there, waiting to come out. She was named after a childhood nickname of Aarti, which the Doctor discovered at a dinner one night. 

“More are gone,” Erika said with a hmph, her Scottish accent coming through. It wasn’t the thickest Scottish accent since she had lived in Finland for quite a few years in her childhood, but it was there. “I’m not making it up.” The Doctor turned to Erika. Her blonde hair reminded him or Rose at first, but her’s was clearly natural where Rose’s was bleached. The Doctor looked into the telescope. He scanned the sky for stars, but he saw fewer than he saw a week ago. 

“I didn’t think you were lying, I just thought maybe you had pregnancy brain.” Erika glared at the Doctor. 

“If you were a woman you wouldn’t say something like that.” Erika rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. 

“I’m sorry! I was wrong.” The Doctor needed to find out what was happening. He thought it was just light pollution and a trick of the light, but now this was shaping up to be a major problem. If the Doctor had his TARDIS life would’ve been so much easier. The Doctor shook his head. This was bad, very very bad. The Doctor’s right eye began to water. In the next couple minutes he would have another vision. His eyes widened. He turned to Aarti. “I’m about to have a vision, you have to hook me up to the gear in the lab.” Aarti nodded and they ran to the lab. Aarti hooked the Doctor up to all the machines she could as the watering got worse. The Doctor wiped away a tear and felt himself go into a vision. He was transported away back to his home universe. He was able to step through a wall, so he wasn’t fully back. He scowled when he felt a dull pain behind his right eye. That pain just wasn’t going away. The Doctor looked around, finding himself in the empty senate of New New York. Bodies lined everywhere, but they had to have been dead for years. In the corner of his eye, it was her. Rose was kneeling in front of the Face of Boe, with a sad look on her face. A cat nurse was behind her, and three young women were off to the side, watching in awe. 

“What happened to you?” She asked. 

_“We failed,”_ he said into the minds of everyone in his presence. 

“He shrouded me with his smoke on that day. He protected me from the virus,” the cat nurse said. The Doctor’s eyes widened. It was Novice Hame. “The city has fallen Rose. Everyone else died, so no one could maintain it. Please, the undercity would’ve fallen into the sea if he hadn’t…” Novice Hame trailed off. “He had to wire himself into the mainframe. His body is the only thing keeping those people alive.” Rose stood up and looked at Novice Hame like she couldn’t believe what she was saying. 

“All those planets out there and no one offered any help? No one answered any distress calls? Surely there must’ve been some sent out?” The Doctor walked over to Rose. Her left eye was glowing, but only dimly. He cheered internally. Last time he saw her, she was lying in bed, sweating buckets into her sheets. She wasn’t standing up as straight as he would’ve preferred and she seemed skinnier, more gaunt and tiny, but at least she was alive. Her hair was brown and short though, which was a change he hadn’t expected. Her brown hair went to the nape of her neck and curled ever so slightly. She looked different and the Doctor wasn’t sure how to feel about it. Her whole demeanor just made her look so petite. The Doctor was a lot taller than her, but her presence always made up for it. The only person she was traveling with that was taller than her was Aarti, but she looked tiny. The Doctor whipped back and noticed how many people she had with her. 3 other girls? He hadn’t traveled with that many people in a long time. It had mostly just been him and one other person. The Doctor tried to press his hand to Rose’s face, but it just went through. He could’ve sworn though, that the Face of Boe was looking at him. 

“The last thing the senate ever did was declare New Earth unsafe. We’ve been on planet-wide quarantine for 24 years and it’s set to last another 76.” Rose’s eyes widened. She embraced Novice Hame. 

“And you stayed,” she whispered with gratitude touching her voice. She pulled away from Novice Hame to wipe some tears from her eyes with her finger. “What can I do to help?”

“We need to be able to power the city again. That way the Face of Boe can disconnect and the motorway and the undercity can open,” Novice Hame told her. Shareen stepped forward, her dark hair was held up on top of her head with a teal (bordering aquamarine) blue scrunchie. 

“Can we do anything?” She asked, her accent was thicker than Rose’s, probably a result of Rose traveling around. Rose picked up her hands off of a control panel. 

“Eight hands are better than two, ask the Face of Boe. He’s been connected to the city’s grid so long he knows every inch of it. The Doctor looked more closely at Rose’s outfit. She was wearing khaki corduroy slacks and his… his coat! It was too big for her considering their height difference, but it was almost as if the ends floated off the ground. Rose put her hands to her face when the glowing got brighter. “There’s still energy here from before, it just hasn’t been used in a while. If we convert the residual energy and feed it through the electrical system,” Rose paused and her eyes widened. “I can’t believe I just said that.”

“There isn’t enough energy,” Novice Hame said. Rose shook her head and her eye began to glow brighter. 

“Not true, I’ve got power coursing through my body. I’ve got a lot more than your average person.” Rose connected a tube and she started to glow throughout her whole body. The Doctor’s eyes widened when he realized what she was doing. However, Rose couldn’t keep it up for too long and she started to wobble. Shareen ran to Rose when she saw that she was about to fall. She steadied her and kept her from hitting the ground.

 _“Hello, Doctor,”_ he heard the Face of Boe's voice in his head. The Doctor turned around in shock. 

“You can see me?” The Face of Boe smiled weakly. 

_“Rose is doing well, isn’t she?”_ The Doctor nodded slightly. 

“I’m so proud of her.”

 _“I can promise you, Doctor, you will see her again. Don’t give up, however we shall never meet again. My time is almost up.”_ The Doctor’s breath hitched. Rose hit the wire. 

“Ahh! I can’t give enough!” She hit it again and groaned. “People are dying down there! We need more power! We don’t need to power the whole city, just the motorway, but how do we route the power?” Rose pressed her hand to her face. Rose grabbed a sonic screwdriver! And she pressed it to a lever. “Hame! Turn on all the settings to maximum, maybe I can give a little more!” The Doctor could feel the pain in her voice. He winced, this wasn’t what he wanted for her. 

_“Rose,_ ” the Face of Boe said. 

“Don’t waste your strength!” 

_“I give you my last…”_ The Face of Boe breathed out and the power turned on. Rose’s right eye filled with tears. Aarti went into high gear. She must’ve been as smart in this universe as she was in Pete’s World. 

“If you die on me, you stupid face I am going to kill you myself! Hame, keep him alive!” Rose ran the largest switch and pulled. Rose clicked on a button and spoke into a microphone. The glow, which had previously dimmed now enveloped her entire body. “Hi,” Rose said, but her accent disappeared. The Doctor shivered, Bad Wolf. “Sally Calypso wasn’t real, but I am. Drive up! You’re all free! Drive up into the sky! I’ve opened the doors! Everyone! Drive!” Rose dropped the microphone and ran to the Face of Boe. Her friends stayed behind, looking on in shock. 

_“This is goodbye, Doctor,”_ the Face of Boe said, only to him. The Doctor found himself back in Pete’s World.

* * *

Rose looked at the Face of Boe, she went back to normal, all glowing gone. He was on the floor with the glass case that held him destroyed. Novice Hame had tears in her eyes. 

“My master gave his life to save this city.” Rose encouraged her friends to join her next to the dying Face of Boe. 

“Why did you have to do that? I bet I could’ve gotten enough energy.” 

_“You are necessary, you are She Who Holds the Future in Her Hands, you must live, while I am finally ready to die.”_ Rose frowned, what did that mean? She had never heard that before. 

“Don’t say that! Every life has value!” 

_“It’s good to finally breathe the air.”_ Lucy looked upset at what was happening while Martha and Shareen looked at each other confused. _“I saw him, your Doctor. He is so proud of you.”_ Rose gasped and the tears she had been holding in since she started were finally falling down her face. How did he know that?

“How? He’s locked away in Pete’s World.” The Face of Boe stayed silent. “Are you sure?” 

_“Yes, he said so himself, but I ran out of time to pass on my final message.”_

“Legend says the Face of Boe will tell his final message to a traveler and since the Doctor is gone, that means you are the traveler who will receive the message,” Novice Hame told her. Rose shook her head. 

“You’ve got plenty of life in you, old buddy. No need for final messages.”

“I have seen so much and known so much, Bad Wolf.” Rose paled. _“You have a role to play in the protection of the universe as did the Doctor. If you seek to know your destiny, find Susan Campell in 22nd Century Earth, she will tell you as much as she can. However before I can tell you my final secret.”_ The Face of Boe was growing weak. If only she could give him a little bit more time. Rose pressed her hands to his large face without thinking and energy flowed into the Face of Boe. Novice Hame’s eyes widened. 

“How are you doing that?” Rose shook her head as she felt herself grow weaker. She bought the Face of Boe a little time, but not much.

_“Your friends are keeping secrets from you.”_

“How do you know that!?” Shareen asked, angrily. 

“I was there, hello Shareen.” Shareen went slack-jawed. 

“Jack?” Rose turned to Shareen.

“What do you mean, secrets? Jack?” Rose’s eyes widened. The Face of Boe was Jack Harkness. When did they meet? 

_“They will tell you the truth when you need it most, don’t push and Rose when you see the Doctor make sure he knows,_ he was not alone.” The Face of Boe said his final message and took his last breath. Novice Hame started to cry and Rose wiped away her own tears. What did all of that mean? There was so much to unpack. Rose stood up, all emotion leaving her face. 

“Come on girls, let’s go.” Earlier, Novice Hame found them quickly and Rose transported the TARDIS into the senate. She marched into the TARDIS and only waited a few seconds for her friends to catch up. The Face of Boe or Jack, wow that was confusing. They were keeping secrets from her. Don’t push, her arse. What type of secret? 

“Rose!” Shareen called. Rose turned back. “What just happened?”

“My friend just died, that’s what happened. Who apparently is Jack Harkness! How do you know him anyway?” Shareen looked at the ground. 

“We only met once. 3 months ago when you held onto the Time Shrapnel for too long. Harriet Jones called him in.”

“Why didn’t you mention it when I woke up? I haven’t seen him in a year!” Lucy and Martha stood off the side, lips planted firmly shut.

“The TARDIS wouldn’t let him in.” 

_“Leave it alone, Little Wolf. You need to rest.”_ A knock came at the door. Rose rushed to open it. She pushed past Shareen and pulled the door open. It was Novice Hame. 

“Before you go, I had this made after you left 25 years ago. The Face of Boe wanted it made for you for when you finally returned. It’s for when you give too much.” It was a vial with a golden flower on it. Rose took it carefully and slipped it in her pocket. She could have Lucy look at it later. “And goodbye, I’m sure my master was right, the Doctor is very proud of you.” Novice Hame walked away and Rose closed the door. She set the TARDIS to flight mode. 

_“Little Wolf, they have good reason for the secrets they keep. Leave it alone until you get some rest. You expended so much energy I’m surprised you haven’t died.”_ Rose scowled and turned to her friends. 

“This conversation isn’t over,” Rose said angrily, stomping her way to her bedroom. No one tried to stop her. Not even Shareen, her best friend.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> She Who Holds the Future in Her Hands is a title? 
> 
> Yup, and you'll find more about it in the future. Did you like seeing the Doctor again? I know I did. 
> 
> I didn't really want to write this chapter because the episode bores me, but this was my way around it. 
> 
> Up next is a shorter chapter, only around 2300 words, but it's the start of my original story replacing the Dalek episodes. You'll have 3 original episodes coming up replacing the Dalek episodes and 42. I'm really excited.


	15. 1994

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose starts to notice some more differences about her physiology and someone get's hurt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short chapter to start the lead up to the next big arc of the story. Only around 1,500 words.

Rose woke up the next morning still tired. It wasn’t technically morning, but Rose still felt weakened. She had to get almost an entirely new set of clothes because she didn’t fit her old ones. She lost weight really quickly that first month when they were preparing surgery. She couldn’t explain it. It had taken her those months in recovery to get her to at least a weight that was acceptable. However, everything she owned was far too baggy on her and her trousers literally would fall down just as she put them on. She had to wear belts on the farthest notch. She was going to have to work even harder to get all her muscles back. She glanced in the mirror. She had let her hair grow out. Instead of redyeing the roots she just died her whole head her natural color. She didn’t know why, she was happier as a blonde, but something in her told her she needed to be a brunette. She didn’t feel like herself as a brunette, however, she couldn’t bring herself to bleach it back. Whenever she would get out a box that contained bleach for her hair, she would put it back. Every single time. Maybe her brain was trying to punish her for some reason. Rose shook her head and turned the mirror away from her. Rose changed into different clothes and went to go eat something. She had barely eaten anything these past few days. She needed a feast, maybe she could eat a whole cow. The TARDIS didn’t have a whole cow, however, so Rose would have to settle for fish and chips. Rose put on a top Lucy had picked up for her in the late 2010s. Rose asked about fashions in the 2020s and Lucy just shook her head. 

“You don’t wanna know. 2019 will just have to do,” she had told her. It was a blue ruffled shirt with small blue butterflies on it. It wasn’t Rose’s usual style, but she needed to wear clothes that fit. Rose grabbed the chain at her neck, just checking to see if the key was still around her neck. She sighed in relief when she found it to still be there. She put on some black slacks and some trainers and entered the kitchen. She needed to shovel food into her mouth as soon as possible. She pulled open the refrigerator for something to tide her over while she fried herself some fish. She frowned when she didn’t find something she wanted. Rose pulled open a cupboard and pulled out a tray of packaged chocolate chip cookies. Her eyes widened and she grabbed three immediately shoving them into her mouth. She barely wasted time chewing. She didn’t even notice they barely tasted like anything.

“Rose?” Rose turned around. It was Lucy. Rose wanted to argue with her, but her mouth was full of chocolate chip cookies. She smiled warmly at her. “Hey.” Rose acknowledged her presence with a nod. Lucy saw Rose’s mouth was filled to the brim with dry cookies. She pulled out a carton of milk and gave her a glass. Rose washed the cookies down. 

“Thanks,” she said quietly. “Don’t suppose you want to help me make fish and chips?” Lucy nodded and they went to work. The TARDIS came with a fryer, but Rose wasn’t great with it. 

“Fried Indian food is really popular, don’t worry. I know how to use a fryer. My step mum taught me.” 

“How does that work?” Rose asked. “If you grew up in the future and the past.” Lucy shrugged. 

“My dad found someone willing to do that for him.” Lucy’s brow furrowed. “Like you did for the Doctor,” she whispered. Rose looked back at Lucy. “If you could run away with him after only knowing him for a day then so could my step mum.” 

“Who’s the lucky lady?” Rose asked. 

“Dipa Chopra, she went to Uni with my dad. She’s great and she’s the only mum I’ve ever known. It’s why I called that plasmavore in the hospital mom.” Rose got out the fish and let Lucy handle it while she heated up a bag of chips in the oven. 

“I never asked, are you a vegetarian?” Lucy shook her head.

“Can’t exactly be one when my mother drank blood. When I was younger I had to eat a lot of salted meats to keep from wanting blood. Never beef though, I could never go that far.”

“We’ve known each other for months, but we actually don’t know a lot about each other. I’ve been so caught up in myself that I’ve neglected our friendship.” Lucy smiled at Rose. 

“Don’t worry about it. I know a lot about you from past experiences.” 

“But I don’t know a lot about you,” Rose protested. “We’re friends, I owe it to you to get to know you better. Tell me more about yourself. I’m not talking about your past, or what I mean to you, or your step mum, I mean you.” Lucy’s smile grew wide. She expelled a breath thoughtfully out of her nose. 

“Ok, but you’ve gotta tell me stuff too.” 

“Deal,” Rose said with a laugh. Rose leaned on the closed oven door. Lucy put the first piece of fish in the fryer which caused the room to fill with the sound of sizzling. Lucy set a timer. “How’d you get the name Lucy if your name is Aarti?” 

“It’s an alias, protects me when I’m living in the past. When I’m with you our enemies will think I’m just a regular girl named Lucy. They won’t be able to find me.” Lucy’s brow furrowed and she bit her lip, she was remembering something. 

“How’d you choose it?” Lucy tutted and raised her finger. 

“It’s my turn, remember?” Rose rolled her eyes with a snort. “What was it like? Traveling with him?” Rose’s mood dipped slightly. 

“I must’ve told you when you were younger. Surely you don’t wanna hear that again?” Lucy shook her head. 

“Please?” Rose sighed and put her hands on her hips. 

“He was wonderful. Sometimes he could be a little scary, and I didn’t always agree with him, but he really did mean a lot to me,” Rose said, her voice getting quieter as the sentence went on. “Now!” Rose said with the clap of her hands. “Tell me about your name some more.”

“Aarti comes from a ritual involving candles, candles bring light and that’s what Lucy means, not much to it.” Rose nodded, satisfied by the answer. “Here, I’ll give you an easy one next, what’s your favorite food?” 

“Chips!” Rose chirped, happily. She didn’t want to have to talk about the Doctor again. “Ok, what about your favorite food?” 

“Ok, it’s stereotypical, but I love mango  _ lassi _ . Have you heard of it?” Rose nodded. The best way to describe it was that it was like a mango milkshake, but it didn’t have ice cream in it. “Ok, tell me more about your travels, did you have a favorite one?” Rose looked down at the floor. She took a deep breath and tried to tell her something, but no words came out. Rose shook her head and looked back at Lucy. 

“I can’t, I just can’t,” Rose told her. Lucy’s smile disappeared. “Did you lie when you told me you hadn’t met the Doctor? Because we barely knew each other at the time. So can you tell me if you met him?” Lucy sighed. 

“I never met your Doctor, I met  _ a _ Doctor. I don’t remember it very well. I met him before you even knew him.”

“What was he like?” Rose asked, trying to change the subject off of her. Lucy practically groaned and turned back to the fish. 

“It’s not wrong to talk about what you’re feeling, Rose. Bottling things in will only lead to more pain.” Soft beeps echoed throughout Lucy pulled the fish out of the fryer as the timer went off. The sound of sizzling that previously filled the room had ceased. 

“You guys are the ones keeping secrets.” Lucy looked at Rose imploringly. 

“I know you just want the truth, but you’re in pain Rose. We can’t add to it. I promise you that you’ll know when you’re ready.” Rose glared up at Lucy who stood ten centimeters taller than her. 

“How do you know when I’m ready?” She said, pointing to herself with her thumb. “You may know some future version of me, but you don’t know me now!” No one knows me now, Rose thought to herself. 

“Rose, please you’re starving and tired. You might be behaving irrationally.” Just then the oven dinged and Rose marched over and pulled the chips out of the oven without gloves. Instead of burning her hands like she expected it just felt like it was warm water. Rose stared at her unburned hands. 

“What’s happening to me?” She asked herself, incredibly quiet. Rose’s hands trembled as she brought them to her face. Rose felt water stir up in her eyes, but this time it was from crying and not from the power. Her mother said she was turning into him, that when her mum died she wouldn’t even be Human. Rose thought she was fine with that, and she was, but something about this just unnerved her. 

“Rose? Are you alright?” Lucy asked. Rose shot up from the oven and ran to her bedroom. This was too weird. She shut the door behind her and she shoved her face onto her pillow. She let out a scream. How could she have power, but yet be so weak? She could see the future and give parts of her power to other people, but yet she needed a pacemaker and a face cream to keep her face from sagging. Rose turned onto her back. She knew she was being shallow, but she was only 21 (22 legally). Rose sighed and looked up at her ceiling. 

_ “I know you’re frightened by the changes Little Wolf, but they won’t be all bad.”  _

“I don’t know about that. I was fine with changing but I didn’t think I’d change this much,” she told the TARDIS. A knock at the door interrupted the TARDIS’s response. The door opened and Shareen walked in with Rose’s food. 

“Hey, Lucy said you ran into your room all suddenly. I figured you’d still want your food.” Rose smiled smally and Shareen set the tray onto Rose’s bed. Fish and chips, they smelled delicious. Rose picked up a chip and took a bite, but instead of the gorgeous flavor she had been expecting she faced bland chips that barely had a taste. She frowned. 

“Taste these,” she ordered Shareen. Shareen looked at Rose strangely. 

“You’re not my boss, Rose.”

“The secret.” Rose looked at her friend with narrowed eyes. Shareen sighed and tried a chip. Her eyes widened. 

“These are delicious! Some of the best I’ve ever tasted!” Rose frowned and took another bite. Tasteless. Rose took a bite of the fish and she nearly spit it out. She motioned for Shareen to try it too. “This is good too! What’s wrong?” 

“I can barely taste them. I can smell perfectly fine! Why can’t I taste them?” Rose stood up and huffed. “You said I was changing and you didn’t know if it was good, well now I’m starting to think you’re right.” Rose’s cell phone started buzzing and Rose answered quickly.

_ “Rose! Help me!” _ It was Lucy. Well, a younger Lucy.  _ “They’ve found me!” _

“Who’s found you? Where are you?” Lucy cursed on the line.

_ “I called you too early! I need help! Please! I think they’re going to kill me!” _ Rose heard Lucy’s desperation. 

“Where are you? When are you? What do you need? I’ll be there in two seconds!”

“I’m in a field, 1994, in London. Please hurry!” Rose sprinted to the console room, really glad she put on trainers earlier. 

“Rose! What’s wrong?” Shareen asked, running after her. Rose turned back slightly to look at Shareen. 

“Watch over Lucy. I have to track some coordinates!” Rose plugged in her phone to the TARDIS console. She just went on instinct. How did Lucy get in 1994? Rose just knew she needed to get to her immediately. Part of her body ached and shivered. Something was going wrong. Lucy walked out of the kitchen with her hands wrapped around her arms. She seemed pale. She nearly fell to the ground. She grabbed onto a railing and started to shiver. It was affecting her too. 

“I’m missing some memories,” Lucy said, dazed. “Or they’ve changed, you have to hurry!” Lucy coughed and shook her head. “Something is very wrong, this wasn’t supposed to happen!” Shareen ran over and kept Lucy upright. Martha came running out of her room and to Lucy.

“What’s happening?” She asked. The TARDIS started changing directions rapidly. Rose grabbed onto the console while the others each tried their bests not to hit their heads on anything. 

“Lucy, in danger! Bad! 1994!” Rose shouted. They felt the TARDIS land roughly and Rose prayed to whatever was out there to please let her be on time. Rose ran out the door not thinking without her sonic screwdriver or psychic paper. “Stay with Lucy!” She demanded forcefully before exiting the TARDIS. She examined the area and saw she was in a car park. A field was just up ahead and was that a ring of fire! Rose was so focused on finding Lucy she didn’t even notice the fact that her version of the TARDIS had landed in front of a younger version. A tall brown-haired man stood in front of the ring of fire, taking off his outer clothes which consisted of an overcoat. He was trying to save her. Rose dashed and made it to the field. Lucy was right in the center of it. The field was backed up by a forest filled with tall trees. It was cold, and sunset. The trees didn't have any leaves which led Rose to assume it was fall. Green Masques were hiding in the trees with their laser guns out.

“Rose!” A young Lucy called from inside the fire. Rose didn’t even look at the man who was now staring at her in awe. 

“Lucy, I’ve got you!” Power surged through her skin. Rose’s steps grew further apart. Rose could just sense that the Green Masques were about to fire on her. 

“Wait,” the man called. Rose disregarded the man and just yelled. 

“Catch her!” Lucy’s hand outstretched just before the fire started and Rose lept through the flames, twisting Lucy in her direction and pushing her out of the circle and into the unknown man’s arms, but before she could hit the ground, Rose felt the shot the Green Masques had aimed at Lucy, hit her in the back.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And our surprise guest star is...
> 
> The 8th Doctor! *fanfare* 
> 
> Originally I hadn't planned to bring him in, but it just came to me when I was writing the story. I've been kind of blocked recently adn I just kind of realized that this is my fanfic and I'm writing it for fun and if I want Rose to meet several past Doctors then she can. 
> 
> See you guys next week for the first part in "The Return of the Masques" (yes this is replacing Daleks in Manhattan


	16. Return of the Green Masques

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Masques are back and Rose is dead? How will the TARDIS team get out of this one?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another part to my original adventure.

Lucy screamed for Rose as she disappeared into a pile of ash on the ground. The Green Masques disappeared in a flash taking the fire with them. The mysterious man grabbed onto Lucy. Shareen came running out of the TARDIS. Lucy continued to cry for Rose and she managed to get herself out of the man’s grip. He looked back and realized what Shareen ran out of with wide eyes. Lucy ran to the spot where Rose was finding only grey ashes. Rose was gone. Lucy began clawing at the ground. 

“NO! No! No, no.” Lucy’s voice got quieter as she found nothing in the dirt. Shareen sped over to Lucy. 

“What happened? Where’s Rose?” The tears young Lucy had been holding in spilled over her eyelids and she wrapped Shareen up in a hug. She cried into her grey shirt. Shareen looked at the ground. Her eyes widened when the reality of what just happened set in on her. The strange man looked at them strangely and walked towards the two young women (though Lucy looked to be around 11).

“I’m so sorry for your loss, but can one of you tell me why you have my TARDIS?” Shareen looked up at him. Her mouth opened slightly. Martha ran out after Shareen.

“Shareen! It’s not good! A lot of Lucy’s memories are gone!” Martha stopped before the field started. She heaved slightly and went ashen. “No,” she whispered. “Where is she?” Lucy continued to cry into Shareen’s stomach. 

“Rose is,” she paused, unable to say the words. “She’s gone and we’re stuck in 1994, just like I feared.” Shareen started to sob and she sunk to her knees and wrapped her arms around young Lucy. Martha shook her head and walked slowly, approaching them. The mysterious man Shareen figured might’ve been the Doctor grabbed her wrist. 

“Who are you?” Martha ripped her arm away from him and stepped carefully towards Shareen and Lucy. 

“Who are you? Is the question I’m most concerned about, bucko, my friend just died and you’re questioning me?”

“And I am very sorry about that, but I just want to know why you have my ship when I am nowhere to be found.” Martha gaped. 

“You’re the Doctor?” The man nodded. Shareen let go of Lucy, who was still crying. Shareen herself had only barely managed to contain her sobs. “But you can’t be! You look nothing like the man in Rose’s photo! You have way too much hair!” The Doctor picked up his overcoat and put it back on. He walked over to the pile of ash that used to be Rose. He frowned and pressed his hands to the pile. He mumbled something to himself that Shareen or Martha couldn’t hear. Something about generations. 

“I’m afraid I haven’t met her yet.” He lifted his hand to his nose and sniffed, just a little. “Was she wearing any jewelry?” Shareen nodded. 

“She never takes off her key to the TARDIS even though she doesn’t need it.” The Doctor (which Shareen would later regard as handsome, but she didn’t think about it the moment, after all, they were a bit preoccupied) frowned. He smelled the ashes again. His face brightened up which infuriated Martha.

“Good news, your friend isn’t dead. It was just an old transmat beam. She had been vaporized then the key would be here. This is probably the remains of her shirt or some other piece of fabric.” The Doctor paused. “Those Green Masques haven’t had a technology upgrade in centuries. However, the bad news is that your friend, who I am correct in assuming she can pilot my ship?” They all nodded even young Lucy. “Your friend is on board their ship and considering I just watched her jump through fire and it didn't even leave a mark on her skin I think they’re after whatever caused that.” Shareen paled. 

“How are we supposed to rescue her? None of us can fly the TARDIS and we can’t have two Lucy’s interacting.” The Doctor’s blue eyes widened. 

“There are two?” The Doctor peered into the older TARDIS and saw the older Lucy laying on the grating like she was sick. “Good grief, what have I gotten myself into?” 

“We have to rescue her!” Lucy cried. “It’s my fault she came here. If I had been more careful then they wouldn’t have found me.” The Doctor leaned down in front of Lucy.

“It is not your fault, you’re only a child. You called an adult you trusted, right?” Lucy nodded. “You only did what they taught you in school.” He wiped away some of Lucy’s silent tears. “I’m going to find her and bring her back. Watch over her. I’ll be back soon.” The Doctor stood up. 

“You don’t even know Rose!” Martha said, crossing her arms.

“What if we get stuck here?!” Shareen exclaimed. 

“Let me into your TARDIS and I will program you all a path home if I do not make it back.” Martha nodded, but Shareen narrowed her eyes. The opposite of what the Doctor thought was going to happen. 

“How do we know this isn’t just a trick for you to get in the TARDIS? Last time we faced them they altered our minds and put us in a simulation.” 

“I promise you it is not a trick. If it was a trick don’t you think they would’ve had me know your friend?” Shareen’s lips planted themselves in a firm line. 

“Ok, but one hint of funny business and I’ll sick Lucy on you, she’s half plasmavore.” Again the Doctor grew curious. Who were these people? Why were they flying in the TARDIS without him? Why were there two half plasmavores there who happened to be the same person? Who was Rose and how did they meet? So many questions raced through his mind. He needed to find out the truth of it all. Martha turned to the younger Lucy. 

“Go home and hide. Hopefully, everything will get sorted.”

“Rose crushed my phone, how can I contact you?”

“Don’t worry, we’ll come to get you.” Lucy high tailed it out of there after that. She ran home to her father where hopefully the Green Masques weren’t. Shareen led the Doctor into the future TARDIS. When he entered the TARDIS hummed happily conforming that this man really was the real deal. Shareen walked over to the seat at the console that Rose never used and sat down. She gave the Doctor his room to work with the console. It took him a couple of seconds to figure it out since the console looked a little different, but he got the hang of it. 

“Why can’t we come with you?” Shareen asked, shaking slightly. She steadied her hands on the parts of the console the Doctor wasn’t using. 

“You’re in shock,” he responded, not looking up from some of the buttons. “You all are in no condition to launch a rescue mission. Fortunately, I was in the neighborhood and saw Lucy running.” He turned to Shareen. “I told you I am going to get her back.” Shareen nodded sharply and folded her arms. Martha stepped down and looked at the older Lucy. 

“Do you remember this at all?” She asked, worried. 

“Some of it is coming to me, but a lot of it is fuzzy,” Lucy said like she was drunk. The Doctor showed Shareen a button. 

“This button will take you to your home time, just tell me when that is and then I can set off to find Rose.”

“Last time we were there it was late March 2008, I’m not sure about the date though. We spent three months in the TARDIS after the last incident.”

“Three months?” The Doctor asked. Shareen nodded. 

“Don’t forget the time when Rose got the ok to start traveling again after surgery. That was only a couple of days ago,” Martha chimed in. 

“It doesn’t matter, hurry so you can go find her.” The Doctor put in a date he thought would work best on instinct and he started to leave the older TARDIS.

“Don’t leave unless absolutely necessary. The Masques are dangerous.” Shareen snorted. 

“Don’t worry, we know. Last time they got us all in less than a minute. Now go!” The Doctor ran back to his TARDIS not understanding that this wouldn’t be an ordinary day for him. This wasn’t a simple rescue mission. This was Rose Tyler after all. Even if she didn’t look like the Rose Tyler the modern Doctor knew and loved it was still her. The Doctor entered his TARDIS. He stepped through the arches and to his console. He needed to see what ships had recently entered the atmosphere. He scanned and found the Green Masques were leaving the planet’s ozone layer and fast at that. The Doctor would need to chase them in the TARDIS. He pushed his longer dark hair back. Maybe it was time to cut it off again. He input some coordinates and started to chase the ship. 

He thought back to the woman on the ship. She could fly the TARDIS, was she a Time Lady? The Doctor didn’t think so. She was different, however, and beautiful too, at least that’s what he had noticed in the 5 seconds he had seen her. He was going to meet her in a future regeneration. The question was, what future? He’d been avoiding the Time War as long as he could. Maybe everything would turn out all right? But why wasn’t he with her? This Rose was a mystery wrapped in an enigma.

* * *

Rose landed in the center of a large arena. Green Masques filled the seats, silent like always. The ones that had shot her were at the edge of the pit she found herself in. A screen came down from the top of the ship. A Masque was staring down at her, but this one felt different. This one had life behind its eyes. She couldn’t see the color, but this time she was looking up at empty holes. Rose felt warm from the circle of fire that surrounded her. She looked down at herself and she quickly covered her chest with her arms. Her TARDIS key was cool against her chest, contrasting with the heat of the flames. She looked down at her scar. The scar she got from her heart surgery. It was a line going down the center of her chest. She hated looking at it, even though it meant she got to live. Rose’s eyes widened when she realized she was alone without her sonic screwdriver. Rose told herself not to panic, but the fact that she was alone, topless, without her sonic screwdriver, on a ship full of Green Masques when her friends had no idea what just happened to her. The Green Masques who fired on her the first time switched their guns to a different setting and extinguished the fire. They pointed their larger guns at her and she raised her hands above her head, surrendering. She knelt on the ground and looked up at the screen. 

“Hello, Bad Wolf, we’ve been waiting a long time for this.” It was a woman’s voice coming from the screen. “You will face up to your crimes, finally once and for all.” Rose gaped. 

“What crimes?” She asked, exasperated and confused. She thought back to when she vaporized the ones in her mind all those months ago. Was that it?

“The destruction of our planet! Emeraude 3!” Rose scoffed. 

“Excuse me! I haven’t done anything like that! That’s a baseless accusation!” A video appeared on the screen. It was taken from the point of view of a spaceship. It was her! She flew covered in gold light. Her hair was like fire and her eyes, well they just didn’t seem like her eyes. She was Bad Wolf, but she couldn’t have been! The film was grainy and old. Golden light enveloped the planet coming from her hands. Then it was gone! Just like that, in the blink of an eye. Bad Wolf had destroyed an entire planet, just as they said. Bad Wolf turned to the windows and she spoke, however, no one could hear her. Subtitles came up, so they knew what she was saying. 

“Your planet is gone, all is as it should be.” Bad Wolf disappeared and the footage cut off. 

“Baseless?” The Green Masque said. “We captured the whole thing on camera. Take her away! Her execution is tomorrow! Broadcasted live over all the channels. It’s primetime television. Thanks to the Masques in the future who will lose their lives infecting you, we’ve finally caught our world killer.”  _ Infecting her! _ Rose felt bile churning in her stomach. The screen cut out for a second. Rose narrowed her eyes in confusion. Another Masque, one like the female one on the screen, stood up next to her. 

“My lady!”

“Take her away! We have a situation on the bridge, portside! Secure the prisoner and meet me there at once!” Rose gasped, what situation? Rose tried to think of what it could be, but she couldn’t. She looked up at the screen and the lady was talking again, but her ears started to ring. How were they doing that? Like she was drugged. Rose stood up without meaning to with her hands up. Her legs were moving on her own. She couldn’t fight back. In fact, she didn’t want to fight back. She was ready for her execution now. She would finally pay for her crimes. Rose blinked and tried to focus her thoughts away from this. There was no way she could be that woman. Bad Wolf was gone and what Rose had was Time Shrapnel, it was a little different. These thoughts weren’t hers. When she was Bad Wolf she destroyed the Daleks and that was it. She had no time to destroy worlds. She was connected to the TARDIS. She would never have let Rose just run off and destroy a planet. 

Something was up here, but Rose was powerless. She was still so weak and had no weapons. She walked herself into a cell that looked surprisingly nice. It hadn’t been cleaned, but at least she didn’t have to sleep on the ground. There were two beds hooked to the walls. The cell had laser bars that would’ve sawed through her arms if she tried to escape. It was so cold, Rose frowned and grabbed a sheet from the bed. It was the only cloth she had to cover herself. She hoped her body would pull a last-ditch effort and get her out of here before her execution. No, not execution. She was paying for her crimes. ‘What crimes?’ She asked herself. She had absolutely no recollection of the event. There were a few minutes that she didn’t remember, but she couldn’t destroy a planet. Rose went white as a sheet. What if this event was what her friends were keeping from her? No! They wouldn’t let her destroy a planet! It couldn’t be. She wouldn’t! She wasn’t a killer! She wasn’t a murderer! Rose tried to think of something happy. She needed to think of a good memory to keep herself sane. She thought of what she always thought of before her “accident”. Everybody lives. 

It was quite possibly one of her favorite memories of all time. However, the memory had been poisoned these past couple of months. The more she thought of it, the worse she felt. Which had never happened before. Sure, most over her memories had a bitter aftertaste nowadays, but nothing should’ve been able to take away the pure joy and happiness coming out of the Doctor’s voice. Rose winced, just thinking about him hurt her. The Masques that held her captive in New Spain had died but had somehow infected her with these thoughts. Rose shuddered and let a few tears fall out of her eyes when she realized how many of her thoughts might not have been her own.

* * *

A little earlier, the Doctor tried to input the coordinates of the ship, but something about it was preventing him from appearing in the ship’s interior. It wasn’t from a lack of trying as well. For some reason, his TARDIS was very into the idea of saving this Rose girl. He would have to fly her. His magnificent ship was much better at time travel than flying and even when he needed to get from multiple places on Earth he could just appear a second later on another side of the world. This was going to be a challenge. 

“Let’s go Old Girl,” he whispered. The Masques were a dangerous race from thousands of years ago. Their planet was dying and they set out to find a new one. Unfortunately, all those years adrift in space made their hearts cruel and warlike. Somewhat like Sontarans and the Sycorax. Finally, they found Emeraude 3, however, the planet was heavily populated. That didn’t stop the Green Masques from “accidentally” killing them all. When a Green Masque was seen by an enemy in their true form they vaporize into particles, some of them still live, but most of the time they become disease. When they die they become a virus. They claimed it was an accident, that a little kid had been playing outside the ship and someone stumbled upon them. The poor inhabitants of Emeraude 3 just didn’t have the immunity to fight it off. The Doctor shuttered. This would not be easy. He hoped none of the High Masques were left.

The Doctor turned a dial and the TARDIS started to spin rapidly. He grabbed onto the underside of the console for support. That young woman ran into a circle of fire with what seemed like no second thought. Hopefully, he could save the brave woman in time. Rose, he thought. Her name was Rose. He couldn’t forget that. He grimaced as the ship started to spin in the opposite direction. He looked out of the monitor and had to dodge running into the engines. He needed to find a side entrance. He ran to the doors and pushed one of them open. He nearly fell out of the TARDIS. When he went to turn the ship around and find something else he found himself pulled in a tractor beam. His eyes widened and he ran towards the console. If he could find a particle disperser then maybe he could buy himself some time to go and find her. That’s all the grunts were nowadays. Loose particles held together by a mind. It was a tragic existence. The TARDIS stopped spinning and he was able to find where he stashed his particle disperser. The Doctor scowled when he couldn’t find it. Maybe he could set his sonic screwdriver to a high enough frequency to stun them? He rushed to close the door. He was not going to let the TARDIS fall into the hands of those aliens. The fact that was in the hands of an apparent human worried him enough. He felt the TARDIS dock in the Green Masque’s ship.

He stepped back to see the monitor. Green Masque’s had surrounded the TARDIS. They didn’t speak which led the Doctor to believe that there were no High Masques among them. He sighed in relief. The Green Masque’s were communicating with each other, but as there were no High Masques around there was no way for him to find out what they were saying. Soon, more Masques had surrounded the TARDIS. A transmission filled the monitor. The Doctor’s eyes widened in shock. It was a news broadcast. Rose was in the center of an arena surrounded by Masques. A High Masque was speaking to her over a large screen. This female High Masque was accusing Rose of the destruction of Emeraude 3. Rose looked completely confused. The Doctor averted his eyes from the fact that Rose had indeed lost her shirt in the transmat beam. He felt bad for her, older transmats weren’t reliable. 

At least she hadn’t lost her arm. A video appeared on the screen. The video he had seen ten times, but could never seem to remember all the details of. Every single time he finished the video of Emeraude 3 disappearing he forgot how. He knew there was more to the story, but soon after he had some issues to attend to. This time, he understood perfectly. That was Rose, the young woman he was trying to rescue. He hadn’t caught what the High Masque had called Rose earlier. Probably Planet Killer. The woman who looked like Rose had contrasted from her current look, but that was her. No doubt about it, however sometimes doubles existed. The Doctor sighed, she looked somewhat familiar, yet she had never met her before. He kept waiting for the memories to snap into place, but they remained fuzzy. The video turned off words flashed on the screen. Execution tomorrow. The Doctor felt the TARDIS being moved. 

Masques were dragging the TARDIS to see a High Masque. The Doctor needed to find a particle disperser now! He ran through the TARDIS looking for his storage. He finally felt the TARDIS stop and he frowned. They must’ve been where the Green Masques wanted to take him. The Doctor cheered as he pushed past a large wooden container. A particle disperser! He attached the small device to his sonic and trekked back to the console room. He looked out of the monitor and saw a High Masque outside. The High Masque motioned with its hand and the Masques scattered. A difference between High and Low Masques was that a High Masque had a physical form on sight, but that meant they were a lot more powerful and harder to deal with. A particle disperser would only make them mad. However, High Masques actually had to speak their plans aloud. 

“Madam Morgause,” the Masque called, clicking an earpiece behind the mask they wore. “Her box chased the ship, what shall we do with it?” The Doctor gasped quietly, at least 2 High Masques. “Yes Madam Morgause, I’ll take it over at once.” Its voice was robotic, but not like the Daleks or Cybermen, it was like an AI trying ever so desperately to be human. It nearly crossed the uncanny valley. The Masque pulled a magna-clamp out of Rassilon knows where and attached it to the TARDIS. The Doctor ran to the TARDIS and changed the gravity. He let out a breath of relief when the Masque lifted the TARDIS up and the Doctor stayed on the floor. 

“A close one, eh Old Girl?” He loved how the rugs looked and it would’ve been such a pity if he had to reorganize them. The Doctor had heard of Madam Morgause before. Madam Morgause was the oldest Masque in existence. She survived Emeraude 3. She must’ve been in charge of them. The Masques didn’t have a homeworld anymore so this was probably what was left of their species. Maybe when this was over he could find them an  _ empty _ planet this time. The High Masque was taking the TARDIS somewhere and the Doctor wanted to know. He pulled up a schematic of the type of ships the Green Masques used and tried to predict where they were going. He peeked out the monitor and saw a hallway number written in the Green Masque’s language. The number 3. The Doctor scanned the schematics and found three possible options, but none of them good. One hallway led to the incinerator, one led to the captain’s chambers, which the Doctor assumed belonged to Madam Morgause, and the final path they could take was to the arena in the center of the ship. 

The High Masque picked the third option, the arena. The arena Rose had been in, no doubt. He set the TARDIS down and the Doctor heard buzzing. He let out a grunt and realized what was happening. A large amount of psychic energy filled the arena and were trying to get to the TARDIS. An unhappy hum filled his eyes and he clutched the particle disperser. They were harming her. That just wouldn’t do. He changed the settings from eradicate to simply stun. He couldn’t bear to take intelligent life, even if they were more warlike than him. He opened the doors of the TARDIS and aimed his sonic disperser at the Masques outside the TARDIS. He closed the doors behind him and stepped out into the worn steel arena floor. He locked the doors behind him. The High Masque that held the TARDIS stood in front of him. A beam came down from the screen and she arrived, Madam Morgause. 

“Hello,” The Doctor said, cheerfully. “Am I interrupting anything?” The Masques were not amused. “Simply popped in for a visit. Shall I get out of your hair now?” The Doctor made a hiss sound when he remembered they didn’t have hair. 

“I see, her accomplice thinks he’s funny. Lock him up too.”

“Now, that won’t be necessary!” The Doctor proclaimed. “I’ll just hop back in the TARDIS and head back.”

“Nonsense, you’re an honored guest now, after all, you brought us the box, so our plan can go into effect.” He could practically hear the smile behind Madam Morgause’s white mask. What plan? It had to involve the TARDIS, but the TARDIS could do a lot of things. He was glad he locked the doors. “Your execution tomorrow will be much quicker than your leaders.” A bead of sweat traveled down his temple to his chin.

“Shall we separate them, Madam Morgause?” The other High Masque asked. “They might be able to make a plan together.”

“Nonsense, if they try to escape one of the lower ones will simply let them see it. It’s less poetic, but it still does the trick. Let the Planet Killer see how she failed.” 

“And if I don’t come quietly?” The Doctor asked. 

“You’ll die slowly and painfully never seeing your associate again,” Madam Morgause told him. The Doctor had his sonic screwdriver after all, maybe he could whip something up wherever they were keeping her. Maybe he should’ve had a plan this time, but the Green Masques also had a plan. The Doctor raised his hands and set the particle disperser on the ground. If only the Green Masques weren’t so set on killing her. He doubted he could truly negotiate for her freedom considering the video. The Doctor paled, he wanted to find out the truth about her, but what if the truth was actually something he didn’t want to know. What if she had killed him at the end of his regeneration cycle and stole the TARDIS? Why would he save a planet killing girl? Still, he couldn’t judge her without the whole story. She had been so willing to risk her life for that girl and the Doctor didn’t think that a bad person would do such a thing. Then there was that unfamiliar familiarity. He had to meet her and find out for himself. Besides, why would the TARDIS want to save her if she killed him in the future? The High Masque who had held the TARDIS pointed his weapon at him. The Doctor raised his hands above his head and they led him down a hall, one of the Lower Masques following them. Probably because if the Doctor tried to run the High masque couldn’t make him sick. A precautionary message that would result in the death of two people. Himself and the Masque who gave him the sickness. Of course, the Doctor would just regenerate, (hopefully with increased immunity to the disease) but then that Masque’s sacrifice would’ve been worthless. They were leading him to Rose, at least. The Green Masque pushing him to the back of the ship where he knew their prisoners were kept.

The cells were empty for the most part, except for one in the back. Purple beams of light instead of bars, and that was where the Doctor knew they were keeping her. 

“Don’t even think about escaping,” the High Masque spat out. “Your death is almost certain.” The Doctor glimpsed past the purple bars and saw Rose. She stood up and was as close as she could do the bars without getting burned to a crisp. Her mouth was agape and a sheet protected her skin from being exposed. 

“It seems  _ our _ escape plan has been foiled,” the Doctor told her with a raised eyebrow. Subtly saying, ‘go with this.’ 

“Back away from the bars. Or we’ll kill both of you,” the High Masque said. Rose backed away with eyes as wide as saucers. The High Masque threw him in the cell after he made a small gap in the purple bars. The gap disappeared as soon as his feet touched the floor of the cell. 

“Hello Rose, I’m the Doctor, I’m here to rescue you, but first I would like to know you got a hold of my ship.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried with the 8th Doctor, but unfortunately, I don't have time to listen to his audio dramas. I listened to a bit of Storm Warning, but that was it. I think he might've been a little out of character at the beginning of the chapter, but I hope I got him right later.
> 
> The topless thing is a little stupid now that I think about it, but I've already deleted too much. I'll just have to look back at this and cringe like every other writer. 
> 
> On another note, I am incredibly blocked. It's terrible. I just can't write chapters like I used to. So some of my later chapters are going to be shorter because I just can't see a way around it. They'll still be 3,000 words, but I can't just churn out 4,500-word chapters like I used to. I just can't. I kept deleting words and I went from 113,000 in July to 106,000 in August. I only just got back to the word count where I was. I'm trying, but Human Nature is kicking my butt. I'm having a lot of trouble with it. Part of it is that I see a solution to avoid it entirely, but those episodes are so iconic I kind of have to write them. I'm sad because I threw out my original plan which was basically Rose and the gang in 2014 France, and now they're somewhere else. Goodbye, cottagecore vibes. 
> 
> I'm considering just skipping Human Nature and writing around it and then when I have everything finished, go back and write it.


	17. Return of the Green Masques II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor has revealed himself to Rose, but does she believe him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've made an important announcement at the notes at the bottom of the chapter.

Rose gaped at the man who called himself the Doctor. He must’ve been a previous incarnation considering he had no idea who she was, but if the Green Masques were messing with her mind, then how could she trust what she was hearing? 

“I don’t believe you,” she said to him. She shivered under his gaze. It wasn’t sexual in nature, but she wasn’t used to those eyes. So untouched by the grief of the Time War. He couldn’t have been the Doctor. Maybe he could’ve been a previous incarnation but she didn’t trust her eyes. 

“Are you familiar with regeneration?” He asked. Rose glared at him, they must’ve done their research. This wasn’t like after her last Doctor regenerated. She had no way of verifying it was him. There was no way this was a Doctor after they had met since he had no recognition of her. 

“I know Time Lords can regenerate! Anyone with knowledge of Time Lords knows that! Your plan didn’t work!” She called out of the cell. “I’m not going to fall for this! I’m not stupid!”

“I am not part of their plan!” He protested. Rose’s harsh gaze didn’t let up. She was not going to be stuck with some cheap imitation of the man she loved. No way! “Your friends thought you were dead and I, being the curious, inquisitive, and heroic gentleman I am, decided to rescue you for them.” Rose snorted, humility was not one of the Doctor’s qualities. Maybe it was him? Or maybe it was an excellent trick.

“After all I’ve seen, you aren’t going to trick me. I’ve stared down the eyestalk of a Dalek and lived to tell the tale!” The “Doctor” looked shocked. His blue eyes were wide. Rose didn’t stop. “I’ve dealt with Krillitanes and Cybermen! I’ve fought the Gelth and Carrionites! I faced Satan himself!” She mumbled, ‘I think’ under her breath. “You don’t scare me, so come on! Admit it, you’re a trick to give me hope so when they kill me it hurts worse! Admit it so I can have some peace and quiet! Maybe sleep a bit before my execution.” Her voice was filled with venom. Rose was so tired, tired of everything really. Maybe this execution was a good thing. Rose paled as the thought came through. She didn’t actually think that. She had friends to look after and return to their own time. Maybe the Time Shrapnel would help her out this time. 

“I’m not a trick! I am the Doctor!” He told her. “How can I prove to you that I’m the Doctor?” He asked himself. He put his hands on his chin and paced back and forth. Rose took in more of his features. He was pretty, she noted. Wild, curly, brown hair that went to his shoulders. He looked like he belonged in a community theatre production of Hamlet and not a prison cell. If he was the Doctor it wasn’t his worst look. She had seen that awful multicolored coat in the wardrobe room. “I’ll tell you something, something only I would know, and no it’s not my real name. I seem to trust you a lot in the future, but I doubt I’ve told you that. Do you know how I got my TARDIS?” Rose shook her head. 

“You’ve had a rough go at life Doctor, you don’t tell me about your past and I don’t ask. I must’ve seen it once, when I…” Rose trailed off if this was the Doctor he didn’t need to know yet. He didn’t know that she might’ve seen it when she was Bad Wolf. “I need concrete proof that you’re the Doctor, I don’t trust my own mind.” The Doctor stood up and rushed over to her. His hands went to her temples. Rose admitted to herself later she was a little scared. His face showed he had come up with a plan. That face must’ve been similar throughout all his incarnations. Did she believe it was him now?

“Then trust mine.” An image flashed through her mind. An older man and a younger girl were sneaking into a place filled with decommissioned TARDISes. It was their TARDIS. The police box she had come to love. Rose hadn’t known about that, so how could the Masques use it against her? This was the Doctor, here to rescue her even though he didn’t know her yet. Pre Time War and the loss of his people. His hands flew from her face and she wrapped him in a tight hug. He was really here. Here with her.

“It’s you!” He looked down at her with a small smile. Rose nearly cried with how young he felt. 

“Hello Rose,” he said, cheerfully. “This is a terrible first meeting isn’t it?” Rose burst out into a fit of giggles and she sat back down on the bed. 

“Not so bad,” she said, a weight lifted off her chest. “You kind of blew up my job on my end.” She winced at the thought but pushed past it. He gaped at her. He chose to sit next to her and he leaned back onto the wall. 

“I do what?”

“You lack grace in your future,” she told him. “How long was it going to take you to rescue Lucy?” She asked, quietly. “You were there before me.” 

“I had to remove some of my more flammable garments. Couldn’t save her if I was on fire. Now that you believe that I’m the Doctor I've got a few questions for you. Who are you? Why do you have my TARDIS? Why were you filmed destroying a planet? And are you cold?” Rose only blinked in response to his rapid-fire questions. 

“What?” She asked, with a bit of a scoff. The Doctor was certainly the same man underneath. 

“Well, your shirt was destroyed in the transmat beam and it’s not exactly toasty in here, so are you cold?” Rose nodded reluctantly. The Doctor took off his jacket and handed it to Rose. She stood up, let the sheet fall to the ground, and clasped the buttons. He was already staring at her back so she felt no need to get out of sight. It was large on her, but not as large as her first Doctor or her… or her current one… Rose winced in pain as she tried to remember him. A tear slipped down Rose’s cheek. She had to focus. That wasn’t her! These thoughts weren’t hers. She had the Doctor to help her now. It may not have been her Doctor, but it was still him. He came to help her even though he had no idea who she was. She sat back down and looked at him. 

“I can’t tell you, Doctor, the timelines would get messed up,” she said. She needed to avoid him! No. Why was she thinking that? She was Rose and he was the Doctor. This was someone she trusted. “I’ve been on the end of messed up timelines that needed to be corrected.” Rose shuddered and found her hands in the Doctor’s pockets. They were extraordinarily deep. Her eyes widened when she realized she hadn’t even reached the bottom of them yet. The Doctor eyed her strangely. Something in her told her to walk away from him to the back of the cell, but Rose was sure it wasn’t really her. She needed to push past these thoughts and fix it. 

“Bigger on the inside,” he said. “So you’re definitely not an underdeveloped Time Lady then.”

“I’m Human!” She remarked back to him, sitting back on the bed. A human who needed to atone. Rose gasped at the thought. She shook her head. No! No! She hadn’t done it! She didn’t destroy Emeraude 3. She couldn’t have. Rose focused back on the Doctor. They really were breaking her down to nothing. She needed to get them out of her head. This had been building up for months.

“Are you sure about that?” He asked. Rose nodded sharply, directing her full attention to the Doctor, even though it almost hurt to look at him. “I’m willing to erase or hide these memories, so you can tell me.” Rose exhaled through her nose and pressed her tongue to the inside of her cheeks. She didn’t want to tell him, but she needed to tell him. 

“It might be hard to recount, the Masques did something to my head months ago. Not sure what’s real in there and what’s fake.” The Doctor sat up rapidly.

“That’s a serious violation of your mind!” Rose laughed humorlessly. “I just showed you my own memories, not meddle with your thoughts! I’m so sorry! I should’ve just asked.”

“You did it to prove you were the Doctor,” she sighed. “I certainly wasn’t going to believe you anytime soon.” Rose threw her hands up in disgust. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice! A lot’s happened, I don’t think I’m thinking clearly a lot of the time, but I guess I just wasn't smart enough to figure it out.”

“You’re plenty smart,” he told her. “They invaded your mind. It’s not your fault. It’s theirs. Don’t blame yourself.” Another humorless laugh bubbled up in her throat. She put her head in her hands. 

“I don’t know why I’m telling you this, you aren’t  _ my _ Doctor.” Rose couldn’t see the interest that had splashed on the Doctor’s face.

“So how well do you know me?” 

“We’re…” Rose paused, another wince. “Friends, he was my best friend.” The unfamiliar Doctor moved over to Rose. 

“Rose, I can help you, if you’ll let me? I’m telepathic after all. Maybe you just need a guide to help you separate reality from fiction.” Rose looked at him, shocked. Was she willing to let a version of the Doctor she didn’t know in her head? Sure he was the Doctor, but he was a Doctor she didn’t even recognize. He was younger, more arrogant even. The Time War hadn’t pushed him to the very brink. Was she willing to let anyone into her head right now?

“You don’t want to see what’s in my head, Doctor,” she forced out eventually. She wondered if the Doctor thought she was talking about destroying Emeraude 3. “Too much of your future is intertwined with mine. Things you  _ can’t _ know.”

“Anything you’re sure of, any memory or feeling you know is yours, you can hide from me,” he said. He faced her on the bed, sitting crisscrossed with his legs on top of the other. “Think of your mind like a hallway. You have control over what doors I can enter and what I can’t. If you don’t want to we don’t have to.” Rose looked up at him, tears welling up in her eyes. She put her faith in the Doctor when she barely knew him once. She had to do it again.

“Ok, I trust you, Doctor.” The Doctor’s eyes flickered with an emotion she didn’t always see. It looked a lot like nervosity. 

“How close are we?” He asked, “you would just trust me before we even met?” 

“I’ve seen you regenerate, Doctor. I know you’re the same man underneath. I know you won’t harm me. I’m sure of it.” The Doctor’s eyes widened and he swallowed. 

“I see,” he nearly squeaked out. “Let’s try and sort these memories out so we can escape and stop whatever they’re planning.” He raised his hands to her face and Rose grabbed his left wrist. 

“What are they planning besides killing us?” 

“I’m not sure yet, but I know they want the TARDIS.” Rose let go of the Doctor and stood up. 

“Then we have to get out of here now!” She responded angrily, ignoring the pain in her temples. For once she was grateful for the Time Shrapnel. She was used to pain.

“You said they were in your mind, Rose. We need to make sure they didn't do anything else in there.” Rose paled and sat back down. The actual pain that she felt when she thought of the Doctor. They were rumbling through every inch of her mind and mix and matching emotions that didn’t belong.

“How good are you at this? Can you really help me fix what they’ve tried to break?” 

“Please, I’m a Time Lord, we’re way more advanced than this lot. It’ll be child’s play.” He raised his hands to her face again. He pressed his fingers to her temples and transported them into Rose’s head. His hand clasped hers and Rose’s eyes widened when she realized where they were. 

“Satellite 5,” she whispered out. It was almost an exact copy. Some doors were open and some were closed. Instead of reality tv shows, they were her memories. The closed doors are what set it apart from the real Satellite 5. The closed doors had the words, Bad Wolf, all over them in white spray paint. Instead of leading her back to the Doctor, they were a warning to “Stay Out” and Rose was going to make sure the Doctor listened. 

“What do those words mean?” He asked with apprehension. 

“Nothing yet,” Rose told him. “You can’t know. It’s important for your future, but it’s nothing to worry about now.” He looked at her skeptically. “You probably won’t have to deal with it for decades.” Rose walked to the first memory she had that felt corrupted. It was ‘Run.’ Of course, they infected ‘Run.’ They had to start from the beginning. It started with the Doctor grabbing her hand and them dashing through the store. Something about it made her feel sick to her stomach. 

“They’re trying to make you want it,” the Doctor said. “To make you want your own execution?” He scoffed. “It’s evil.” He put his free hand to his mouth, thinking. “You have to close the door to them, not just me.”

“How?” She asked. “You’re respecting my boundaries, the Green Masques don’t.” He reached for the chain around her neck. The chain that held her TARDIS key. Rose flinched, but let him have access to it. He smiled at the key and pressed it into Rose’s free hand. The doors changed from the doors of Satellite 5 to the doors of the TARDIS. She entered the memory and the Doctor followed reluctantly. “It’s ok, Doctor. This memory doesn’t spoil too much.” The memory started over again and the pair of them followed the memory to fruition. A sonic screwdriver appeared in the Doctor’s hand. She looked at him with wide eyes. 

“It’s a mindspace. The real sonic screwdriver is in your front pocket.” A spark of green appeared behind a pole and the Doctor zapped it with his sonic. Rose felt warm all of a sudden. She smiled widely. The memory was still bittersweet, a lot of these memories would always be bittersweet, but the sadness and the pain were gone. 

“We need to hurry, but it’s working. I feel better.” She pulled on his hand and they chased after the older Doctor and the younger Rose. The Doctor aimed his sonic at any flash of green they saw and Rose shut the door behind them. She shoved her key in the door and turned it shut. She locked the memory in with no Green Masques to affect it. She turned to the hallway of memories. “Now, we have a lot to do, how long is it going to take?”

“With me on your side, hopefully no longer than an hour.” Rose sighed, hopefully, they wouldn’t run out of time. Rose checked and locked any door that was already shut. Those memories were safe. Rose and the Doctor moved onto the next major one. After the Sycorax invaded Earth and he invited her to travel with him again. They flushed out the Green Masques there too. She didn’t notice the Doctor looking at her more and more in awe with every memory.

* * *

This Rose girl really had grown on him. He had seen it in her memories. He was sure these future versions of him had some sort of romantic feelings for her. He had experienced feelings like that before, but he could just feel the love radiating from the two of them. She must’ve loved him back considering how comfortable she was holding his hand. She was brave and kind, he could see why he would come to love her. He was sure she didn’t destroy Emeraude 3. The words Bad Wolf perplexed him, but he was sure it would turn out all right. Rose stopped in front of a large door. It was shut, but something radiated from the door. It made Rose stiffen up. 

“What’s wrong?” He asked softly. She swallowed and looked back at him. 

“This memory is the start of it. All my problems.” She gripped his hand tightly. He could feel her fear of facing it. It had to do why he wasn’t with her. She was shaking. 

“We can deal with it later. We can always come back. Do not push yourself to face something you aren’t ready for yet.” Rose nodded and they skipped ahead. She looked back at the door and shook her head. The next-door they had to deal with was one that fully involved the Masques. Rose charged ahead and they flushed out the parts that didn’t belong. It was becoming routine. Walk through a memory, point sonic, get out, lock the door. He could feel Rose’s fear melt away. She held herself up straighter. A voice called back from a closed door. It broke through the lock. 

_ “Promise me you’ll find your way back to me! This world needs you! I need you! I love you, Doctor!” _ The Doctor looked at Rose and she was scarlet. 

“You weren’t supposed to hear that!” She barked at him. The Doctor snorted and smiled at her. 

“I’m going to forget all of this anyway. Don’t worry about it.”

“They’re private words! Meant for him and him only!” The Doctor cocked his head to the side. 

“I am him.” Rose blew a strand of brown hair out of her face. 

“I know,” she said, somewhat apologetically. “But you have no idea who I am. It feels a little intrusive. You don’t know the context or how much you mean to me. You and I don’t share the same experiences as him and me. I know you’re the same person, I know you’re the same person underneath. I’ll admit I had some doubts at first when you changed in front of me, but I know now and I won’t ever forget it. Let’s just finish up here and break out of our cell.” They ran through the final bits of her memory and she noticed something. A hidden door. She tugged on his wrist. 

“What?” She let out a shaky breath and wiped away a lone tear.

“My friends were hiding something from me.” She turned to him, looking at him imploringly. “They wouldn’t let me destroy a planet. They aren’t that kind of people, but I never found out what happened. No one will tell me.” Her voice shook at the end of her sentence. “Can we look? Will I be able to see anything?”

“I’m not sure, but we can try.” She nodded and they walked to the hidden door. “Rose?” 

“Hmm?” 

“It might not be what you want to find.”

“I don’t care!” Her voice was confident and proud. “I need to find out what I’m missing. One minute I’m a perfectly fine 21-year-old female and the next, I need a pacemaker, and my cells are dying off faster than a 55-year-old’s should. They say I used parts of the Time Vortex for too long, but there has to be more.”

“You used parts of the Time Vortex?” He asked, incredulous. 

“It’ll spoil too much if I explain.”

“I’m just going to forget, does it really matter whether or not you tell me?” Rose shook her adorable head.

“You’ll get mad at me, and I don’t want 3 Doctors upset,” her voice got quieter. 

“Of course I’ll get mad at you, you’ve clearly harmed yourself! I may be different in my future but I would never ever want you to harm yourself for me. You need a pacemaker!” She sent a glare in his direction. 

“It’s alien, so it’s a bit better than the average human’s. I did what I needed to do, I wouldn’t be able to save people half as well if I didn’t do what I did. You can yell at me when you come back, but now we have to see what this is and we can get out of here. They have a plan and they want to kill us. I’m pretty sure this isn’t what causes you to regenerate.” The Doctor’s grip on Rose tightened. She eyes him suspiciously, but the look went away as quickly as it came.

“Ok, let’s go.” Rose pressed on the door, trying to find the entrance. She took a deep breath and whispered to herself. The door appeared out of nowhere and Rose gasped. “What’s wrong?” He asked.

“That’s my bedroom door in the TARDIS.” Rose tried the doorknob, but it didn’t budge. She tried again, but it still wouldn’t move. She tried to push her shoulder into the door, but the Doctor pulled her back. Instead, he handed her the sonic screwdriver. 

“This is your mind, you tell it what to do.” Rose gripped the sonic screwdriver so tight her fingers went white. It changed from his sonic to a future version. One Rose knew how to use. She twisted the back and changed the settings. She pressed it to the lock and eventually it made a noise. The sound of a lock clicking. The door opened without much effort afterward. Rose and the Doctor entered the room that held her missing memory. It was black. There was no light coming from anywhere in the room. The only light came from Satellite 5. Rose looked so frustrated. He could’ve sworn she had tears in her eyes. 

“I just thought I would finally find out what happened,” she whispered. “I can’t stand not knowing. No one will even bleedin’ tell me!” She stamped her foot in frustration when light came from all corners of the space. They were transported outside of a large building that had clearly been a part of some sort of accident. Rose recognized this place. She looked around and then one by one people flashed in. Like they were being teleported there. They looked to the steps where Rose spotted herself! They walked over and saw Shareen (he had gotten her name, but not the darker skinned one) feeding Rose tea out of a thermos. She was passed out cold on the concrete ledge of the steps. She looked different. She had looked different in her earlier memories, but he could tell that this was before a few of the memories he had been shown. This was before the Carrionites and the Face of Boe. This was the turning point. She was fuller and her hair was longer. Her mauve jumpsuit made her look very long. The Doctor looked to the other people in the memory. Her friends. The darker skinned one was yelling at an older woman, the Doctor didn’t want to assume they were related because they both were black. That was a stereotype he didn’t want to make. Lucy (the older one he saw) was standing with her backing her up.

“What happened here?” The Doctor asked. 

“This man, Lazarus, hacked into his own dna. He turned into a creature and killed a few people. It was awful. I’ve got Time Shrapnel behind my eye, see, and I tapped into it to defeat him. Least that’s what I thought.”

“Time Shrapnel!” Rose looked at the Doctor with a sigh. 

“Yell at me later! I need to see what happens next.” Rose pulled him over to her body. The Rose in her memory shot up with a gasp. The Rose next to him shook her head. “I don’t remember this.” Young Rose stood up and started limping off, she was muttering things that didn’t make sense. Shareen tried to stop her, but younger Rose simply waved her off. Rose pulled on his hand and they ran to follow her. Something was wrong. Younger Rose was heading to Southwark Cathedral. Rose with the brown hair frowned. She murmured the name of the cathedral under her breath. 

“What was that?” The Doctor asked. 

“I just said it made a bit of sense that I was kind of put off by Southwark when I was at the Globe Theatre.” Rose watched intently as the Rose of the past walked in and crouched by a blond man. This was the man who had hacked into his dna. Rose walked on and held the man as he died, comforting him. 

“Why won’t your friends tell you about this? This doesn’t seem all that awful.” Rose pressed one of her hands to her head. She hissed in pain. 

“I was dying,” she told him. “This was me preparing for my own death. Every part of my body was exploding in pain. I saw an alternate version of events and I didn’t want it to happen. I was trying to calm him down because we both were going to die. One way or another. The power of the Time Shrapnel told me how it had to be unless I wanted to risk my friends' lives. It took control of me.” Then Rose stuffed a syringe into the man’s neck. Rose gasped. “I killed him!” She looked at the Doctor with fear in her eyes. “I had to stop him and the only way to stop him was to kill him! I went on complete autopilot! If I can take his life then who’s to say I didn’t destroy that planet! Who’s to say I didn’t make an entire planet blink out of existence? I’ve destroyed thousands of Daleks in a single instant.” She turned to him, tears filling her eyes. What had she done in the past? “If I’ve turned Daleks into dust, then it might’ve been easy to destroy a planet.” Rose was shaking. 

The mindspace began to disappear, falling apart around them. All the confidence and goodness Rose gained back was being reversed. She ripped her hand out of his grip and he felt himself leave her head. He gasped as the stale air of the prison filled his senses. Rose was limp on the bed with her legs hanging off the side. Her eyes were open and glowing gold. She wasn’t blinking and tears were streaming down the sides of her face. Her hair fanned out around her head. This was the real reason why her friends didn’t tell her the truth.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've made an executive decision to skip Human Nature/Family of Blood. For now. I plan on rewriting it in the story where the Doctor and Rose are on the TARDIS together again (with Donna). I've got an idea for what will bring the pair of them together after all they've been through separately. Rose is going to have gone through a lot by the time she's reunited with the Doctor, even more than she's gone through now. The Master will not be kind. I just can't write it for this story. I've tried and I've failed so far. 
> 
> I am at 110,000 words though. I'm writing the chapter where Lucy comes out right now, so be on the lookout for that. Lotsa emotion in that chapter. I've gotten my muse back which is awesome. 
> 
> I'm also replacing Blink as well, instead, I will be adapting two episodes from the Moffat era that I don't entirely hate. Amy's Choice and The Beast Below. However, obviously it will be someone else's choice.
> 
> Also, school is going well, if anyone cares. I'm pretty tired because of it though. I can barely keep my eyes open as I write this.


	18. The Plan of the Masques

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose finally found out the truth about Lazarus, but can she handle the reality?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I handled 8 well enough.

The Doctor tried to enter Rose’s mind again, but she was blocking him from entering. She was going into acute shock. The Doctor cursed under his breath. He should’ve never encouraged her to touch that memory. Some things were better left forgotten. He didn’t have the whole story, but he doubted it was as simple as murder. The man didn’t look dangerous, but Rose didn’t seem like the type of young woman to kill needlessly. Apparently people had died. The Doctor grabbed Rose’s shoulders. 

“Rose! Wake up! Snap out of it!” Her golden eyes were dilated. She was unresponsive. “Rose!” He pulled her up and wrapped her in a hug. He pressed his lips to her ears and tried to reach her as directly as possible. “You are not a planet killer! I’ve seen it! You put an end to a suffering man!” 

“I’m a murderer,” Rose managed to get out. Her lips barely moved.

“Listen to me! Look at me! You are not a murderer! You aren’t a planet killer! You need to snap out of it! They’re going to kill us tomorrow!” 

“It was so easy.” Her voice was light, like a fairy. “Why was it so easy?” The Doctor wasn’t allowed to see what did this to her, but he doubted he approved. She had Time Shrapnel in her body. It was dangerous and it bleeding out would be the cause of a lot of her hardships in the future. The Doctor felt a pinprick behind his right eye. It was like a phantom pain for an injury he hadn’t had yet. 

“Rose, I’ve had to make some tough decisions, I’ve had to let people go who I wished I could’ve saved. I saved someone whose death was a fixed point once and I still lost them. When you have to keep all of time in check you have to make difficult choices. You have to save as many people as you couldn’t!” The glow in one of Rose’s eyes subsided. 

“Doctor! It hurts!” He pulled back his face and stared directly at her, keeping eye contact. He stroked the side of her face. 

“I know, but you have to wake up now!” He pressed her face into his chest and started rocking her back and forth. 

“I miss you,” she whispered. “You’re not there anymore. Four of us live in the TARDIS now, but it still feels empty without you.” The Doctor’s brow furrowed and he continued to rock her. 

“I’m sure I’ll find my way back to you. You need to wake up now you can save your friends, ok? Can you do that for me?” Rose was shaking, but she nodded. She pressed her eyes together and tried to steady her thoughts. She took a few deep breaths and opened her eyes. They were back to brown. 

“Doctor, I miss you!” She cried out. She wrapped her arms around him and sobbed into his ears. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.” Her words were desperate, she was gripping him tighter than he had ever experienced before. “I’m so!” She choked back a sob. “I’m so alone!” 

“Shhhh,” he said, trying to calm her down. He stroked the back of her head. “I’m right here, I’m right here with you. Just take a deep breath, calm down.”

“It’s so hard,” she whispered. “It’s so hard being without you.” 

“I’m going to come back for you,” he told her. “I saw all of those memories and there’s no doubt in my mind I’m coming back for you.” 

She flattened her lips and shook her head.  “As much as I tell myself that, I’m not so sure.” The Doctor took a deep breath. Rose was calming down, slowly but surely. 

“There’s no one I could leave someone like you behind,” he said. “You’ve got a lot of spunk, remind me of a few friends from long ago,” he trailed off. He silenced his thoughts, he didn’t want to think about the past. As much as he always tried to change it, he couldn’t. Especially his own personal timeline. “As I’m sure you know, I’m quite brilliant. I’m sure it’s only a matter of days before we reunite.” Rose’s breathing steadied back to normal and she pried herself off of him. She looked a little pale, but color was returning to her face. She sat on the messed up jail bed. The Doctor remained on the floor, looking up at her. 

“Your hair is longer than mine,” she said, trying to lighten the mood. 

“How’s your pacemaker? Does it feel like it’s dislodged or anything?” Rose shook her head. She combed her fingers through her brown locks. She shook her head from side to side, her hair flaring out like a dog shaking their head. She pressed her hands to her cheeks and tapped lightly several times.

“It feels fine, but I might need to get it checked out by my doctor.” She looked at him. “And I don’t mean you,” Rose said, plainly. “Lucy’s father, he’s had extensive contact with aliens, so he’s the person we go to when we have any trouble.” The Doctor nodded and looked down at his hands. He had gotten used to the feel of the sonic in his hand. 

“I see, I’m glad you’re keeping yourself safe, but if you have any doubts about your pacemaker please tell me.” Rose nodded and pressed her hand to her heart. Her brow furrowed and sighed. 

“I can’t believe that happened. I can’t believe that’s what caused me to need a pacemaker. I guess I thought it would be a lot more like an epic battle or something. With explosions and blasts of light.” 

“You saw an alternate timeline and avoided it. To me, that’s pretty epic.” The Doctor made a noise of disgust after the ‘epic’. She giggled softly. Rose looked at him with a closed mouth smile and gave him a small nod of affection. “Don’t ever let me say that again.” Rose wiped away a tear and her eyes and had a sad look on her face.

“I won’t.” There was an attempt at humor in her voice, but she couldn’t really pull it off. It wasn’t like earlier.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked. Rose shook her head. 

“I think we should just focus on getting out of here. I hate it when people mess with my mind. This one time, we were in Rome and a genie,” Rose stopped herself. “It didn’t hurt,” she whispered. 

“What didn’t hurt, Rose?” Rose’s lips formed a small, but genuine smile and she glanced at him. 

“Thinking of you. Before, it was this dull ache that made me wince. Now it’s not physical.” Her smile grew wide. “I think we got rid of most of their influence.”

“Most? If you want we can go back in and deal with whatever’s left.” Rose’s eyes darkened and she shook her head. 

“Best not, I’m tired of having things in my head. Let’s just focus on getting out of here. I think I’m going to have to move Lucy into the future. It’s not safe for her anymore.” Ok, if he wasn’t going to get the whole thing with Rose, then he hoped she would tell him about Lucy. He had learned some details as to what had happened and what caused Rose to have the TARDIS, but not enough. He in the future would be sealed away in a parallel world, when he asked why she didn’t just go to the Time Lords for help since even though they were stuffy and terrible they would’ve helped her with the Time Shrapnel and would’ve taken the TARDIS off her hands (which he didn’t want, but the point still stood there. Romana would've seen to the retirement of his TARDIS and maybe even given it to Susan). They might’ve even been able to rescue him, too. Rose shook her head, saying it wasn’t an option. Even if she wanted to, that wasn’t an option. When he asked, why she just shook her head again. She just couldn’t tell him. The Doctor didn’t bring it up again.

“Why was she in the past in the first place?” 

“I’m not sure, it’s a whole temporal mess. I’m hiding her from people, at least I think I am. If not from the Masques then from someone I haven’t met yet.”

“You have caught yourself up in quite the mess, haven’t you, Rose?” Rose sighed, pressing her head in her hands. 

“I’m lost without you, Doctor.”

* * *

Rose felt as if she could trust him after what just happened, but something about being in his presence before they even met unnerved her. She sighed for what felt like the billionth time. They needed to get out of here ASAP. She stood up and put her hands in her hips. 

“The quicker we get out of here, the quicker we can rescue the TARDIS.” She was not about to let them defile the TARDIS in any way. She felt stronger and even happier after they locked the doors to her memories. As much as the idea that for months creatures were in her head made her ill, she needed to rescue the TARDIS and a past version of the Doctor. There was no time to deal with her emotions. That simply had to wait. She looked at the younger Doctor. “Why isn’t there a guard? They’re just leaving us alone with no security.”

“Well, they’re quite arrogant, but they’re also incredibly sacrificial. If they see us out and about they’ll just make us sick. They don’t think we’re a threat.”

“We have to make sure we don’t see their true forms, then?” The Doctor nodded. “If only we knew where and when they’re gonna be, so we can avoid their presence.” 

“Maybe we could hack into their systems,” he said.

“But we don’t have the TARDIS.” An idea popped into her head.“I tapped into the Time Shrapnel when Lazarus was killing people, maybe I could do it again.” She put her hand to her chin. 

“That almost killed you last time,” the Doctor replied. “I won’t let you risk your life.”

“That isn’t your decision to make, Doctor,” Rose said with the utmost precision. She avoided the bright purple light and looked directly at him. This could be a death sentence, but the TARDIS could not be allowed to fall into their hands. Who knows what they could do. The light reflected in the Doctor’s blue eyes. Except they didn’t look blue. They looked purple and more alien than ever. It was hard seeing eyes that didn’t recognize her, but he was a time traveler, and so was she. She was surprised she hadn’t run into other past regenerations of him before. “If I can tap into it with short bursts then maybe it won’t mess with my pacemaker.”

“No!” The Doctor stood up and looked desperately into her eyes. “We’ll find another way, there is always another way.” Rose got goosebumps. The war really would destroy him. 

“Not always, Doctor.” The Doctor sighed and started to pace back and forth. 

“Earlier, while I was trying to calm you down I felt like there was Time behind my right eye. What you did to get the Time Shrapnel,” he turned to her. “Did I do it with you?” Rose considered what to tell him. She didn’t know 100% of what she did that day. The Doctor told her that she looked into the Time Vortex and she destroyed the Daleks and not much else. However, he had to take the Time Vortex out of her to prevent her own death. Rose choked back a sob just thinking about it. 

“You had to take the Time Vortex out of me, why?” The Doctor's eyes widened. 

“That would definitely do it!” The Doctor started pacing again. “The future me must have some too and since it’s Time it doesn’t exactly abide by linear rules. Some of it must be affecting me as well.” Rose's stomach growled loudly and she realized how hungry she was. All she had to eat was a tasteless chip.

“Sorry, I’ve barely eaten in the last few days.” The Doctor’s finger wagged in front of her face. 

“We can’t have that, don’t worry, the pocket with my sonic screwdriver has a packet of jammie dodgers. Feel free to help yourself.” Rose thought back to the fish and chips. Shareen said it was some of the best she’d ever tasted. 

“Doctor?” She asked. 

“What? I said feel free. I have more back on the TARDIS.” Rose shook her head while reaching inside the Doctor’s coat for the front pocket. 

“It’s just, last time I tried to eat anything it tasted like cardboard and when I touched the chips heating up in the oven I didn't burn myself.” The Doctor looked intrigued. 

“That’s why you were able to run through the fire. Maybe the lasers won't burn you. Though I’ve never heard of Time Shrapnel affecting someone like that, how long have you had Time Shrapnel?” 

“Technically,” Rose said, pulling out the jammie dodgers and the sonic screwdriver. She had traveled with the Doctor for around two years, and it had only been around four months since she lost him. “About a year and a half, but I didn’t notice a change in myself until about 4 months ago. When we got separated.” The Doctor gaped and he ran to her. His hands gripped her shoulders.

“You’ve had Time Shrapnel in your body for over a year! Surely the Time Lords would’ve noticed!” Rose shook her head and decided to take a risk. 

“The war is time-locked, no one is allowed to enter and mess with it. No Time Lords can escape it either.” 

“What about my granddaughter, Susan?” Rose’s eyes widened. Who? 

“Your granddaughter?” The Doctor nodded with a furrowed brow. 

“I’ve never told you about her?” Rose shook her head. “I mean I understand, previous versions of myself didn’t really talk about her either, but I seemed so comfortable with you.” Rose blew a hair out of her face.

“As I said, you don’t talk about your past.” Rose took a deep breath, everyone had secrets. He was over 900 years old, of course, he must’ve had a family before he met her. She had known he was a dad once. Of course, he was a grandfather. Rose sighed, now was not the time to worry about what she did and didn’t know about the Doctor’s past. “The Time Shrapnel is changing me, maybe it will make me laser proof.” 

“However, let’s not try and find out. I should really run some tests on you.”

“We don’t have any more time! You said the Time Shrapnel’s affecting you too?” He nodded. 

“I think that’s what got through to you when you lost control.” A tear fell from Rose’s left eye. Rose saw the Doctor’s hand twitch and she wiped the tear away. 

“It’s starting, Doctor,” she told him. She noticed how his right eye was also welling up with tears. She moved closer to him. “It really is affecting you. I didn’t think anything like this would happen. I’m sorry, you might feel some pain.” 

“Some pain? I’ve heard Time Shrapnel is incredibly painful.” 

Rose shrugged and felt more water stream down her face. “It is, but since it’s not from your current timestream I’m hoping it won’t be too painful.” Rose bit her lip and looked up at him. 

“I hope so as well, now let’s escape.” Rose’s stomach growled again and before she forgot she grabbed the sonic screwdriver and handed it to the Doctor and grabbed the jammie dodgers. She didn’t care that they might taste like cardboard. She opened the package and stuffed them in her mouth. They still tasted like barely anything, but she was starving. She scarfed them down and sighed. 

“Still nothing! I think I’ve lost my sense of taste.” This was a problem. “Can you get rid of the Time Shrapnel?” Rose asked. 

The Doctor shook his head. “I don’t have the proper tools, I wish I could though.” The Doctor walked close to the “bars” and set the sonic on the lock. Soon the bars came undone and the pair stepped outside the cell. Rose huffed and glanced at the Doctor. 

“I hope we don’t run into them. I don’t know how we’re going to defeat them.” A memory came to the forefront of her mind. The last time, they escaped because she expelled some of the energy in her head. She vaporized them in a flash and it didn’t seem to harm her. She frowned when she realized what she was thinking. She was going to kill some of them. Again, it was so easy to destroy. She wasn’t supposed to destroy, she brought life! Rose’s brow furrowed, where did that come from? “Well, Doctor, I may have a way, but I don’t want to hurt any more people.”

“I would never ask that of you,” he told her. Rose swallowed back a breath, was he just saying that to placate her? She noticed the tears were falling freely from the Doctor’s right eye. It would be any minute now. The pair of them ducked behind the wall. Rose tapped on his arm and pointed to a monitor on the upper corner of the wall. A Green Masque was coming towards them. Not a High Masque. The Doctor turned a setting on his sonic and they waited for the Low Masque. The Masque walked by and the Doctor set his sonic on the Masque. In an instant, it disappeared. Rose’s eyes widened and the Doctor pulled her along. “It will reform! We have to hurry!” A jab of pain behind her eye caused an image to appear in her head. The TARDIS was in a lab with the words Green Five above it. It was near the arena where the two of them were set to be executed. Alarms started to blare and the flash ended. The Doctor gripped her hand and he looked back at her briefly. 

“I saw something,” she told him. She could feel her eye was still glowing. Breathing became laborious. She was going too fast. 

“Me too,” he stopped and they ducked behind another wall. “Rose what’s wrong?” Rose needed to catch her breath. The Doctor’s eye was glowing faintly, not as bright as hers typically did. 

“I just got the go-ahead about a week or two ago. I’m out of practice.” The Doctor’s eyes widened and he turned around. He crouched down in front of her. 

“Get on my back.”

“What? No!”

“Rose, you’re having trouble breathing, and besides, you’re a tiny little thing and I’m a Time Lord. Just get on my back! We don’t have time for this!” Rose groaned and she climbed on his back. He took off. 

“What did you see?” Rose asked. 

“A path.” He handed Rose his sonic and set her hand on the button. “Just click that when I say to, alright?” 

“Bossy,” Rose whispered, right by his ear. The Doctor gave an indignant huff. 

“I am not bossy! I just fear these Masques, I could never forgive myself if I was the one to cause your death.”

“You’re afraid?” 

“Nothing wrong with showing some vulnerability, Rose, especially since I seem all too eager to do so with you in the future.” Rose rolled her eyes. Not during France, she thought. “Now!” Rose clicked the button and the Masque that would’ve approached the two of them disappeared like the previous one did. More alarms blared in their ears and Rose could barely think. Something told her that if she didn’t stop their plan a lot more was at stake than just their deaths. “Again!” Click. “Good! Again!” Click. “Another time!” And slowly but surely they managed to make their way through the path the Doctor saw. Rose scanned the hallway they were in. Green Five was written above a doorway, except the Doctor went right past it. 

“Doctor!” He skidded to a halt. 

“What?” Rose climbed off of him and pointed to the door. Green Five. 

“In here, that’s where the TARDIS is,” she told him. He shook his head. 

“That room didn’t show up on the vision.” Rose felt her eye stop glowing and the pain fleeing from her head. This is where they needed to be. 

“The TARDIS is in there. I know it.” He sighed and nodded. Rose pushed open the door. She poked her head in and narrowed her eyes, looking for the TARDIS. It was a lab. Those were the black countertops she had seen that were all too common in science class. There! In the corner of the room. She tugged on the Doctor’s arm and the two of them walked into the room. She shut the door behind them. A Masque popped up from behind a countertop that held phials of different liquids. This Masque wore goggles for some strange reason. 

“Ah, good you’re here. You can help me get into your blue box. I can’t save our planet without it.” Rose’s hand moved from gripping his arm to his hand as the Masque stared at them with cold eyes. 

“Don’t just stand there, come closer,” it said. It sounded masculine, but Rose didn’t know if they had genders like them. “Come on or I’ll alert them to your presence and you’ll die painfully.” The Doctor stepped forward dragging Rose with him. 

“Doctor, the Masque has the TARDIS we can’t,” she whispered. 

“Let’s just focus on keeping ourselves alive. He wants us to use the TARDIS. That requires us getting inside.” 

“Tell me,” he asked. “This box, what is it?” 

“It’s a flying box,” the Doctor said. “Takes me places.” 

“So it’s yours and not Bad Wolf’s?” The Doctor cocked his head in response. 

“Who’s Bad Wolf?”

“Well, she’s right next to you.” The Doctor glanced back at Rose and she mouthed ‘later’ to him. “We always thought the ship belonged to her, but it’s yours then?” The Doctor nodded. 

“It’s been mine for ages, centuries even,” the Doctor told the High Masque. 

“So you’re the one who took Bad Wolf to destroy our planet,” he said, coldly. 

“I didn’t destroy anything!” Rose blurted out. She only had one missing memory that she was concerned about and since she knew what happened now, there was no way she could have destroyed a planet. There was simply no time. The Masque turned to her, his eyes cold, dead, and empty. 

“No use denying it, girl. We have the video.” 

“I’m still saying it couldn’t be me! I didn’t even get a trial! When was your planet destroyed?” Rose asked, her hands on her hips. 

“300 years ago.” 

“I wasn’t even alive 300 years ago!” She looked to the Doctor, saying with her eyes, ‘do not tell them it’s a time machine’ and luckily he kept his mouth shut. She was trying not to die, thank you very much. 

“Time travel exists, Planet Killer. You can’t fool me. We High Masques are far less easier to trick. Just admit you destroyed our planet, you’d be far less pathetic if you owned up to it.”

“I’m not owning up to something I didn’t do.” Rose glared at the High Masque. She was done feeling sorry for herself. It was time to be angry. She was not going down for a crime she didn’t commit, especially not one as heinous as what they had videotaped her doing. Things like that could be faked and she didn’t even hear her voice. “All is as it should be,” her arse. She couldn’t even actually hear what she was saying. That might not have even been her. 

“You really are pathetic.” Rose narrowed her eyes at the Masque.

“You don’t know anything.” The Masque seemed aggravated, but then he seemed to calm down.

“I think you’ll find we know more about you than you do yourself?” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rose nearly growled. Her eyes widened and she forgot the Doctor was there. This was beginning to get extremely personal. Her heart echoed in her chest off her ribs. 

“We’ve been watching you for a long time now. We’ve been inside your head. Everything you’ve become, we’ve done that.” Rose blanched and felt blood rush to her fists. She wasn’t a violent person, but now she wanted to clock this Masque right in the nose. At least where she thought he had a nose. They had been in her head without any care. They had tried to change who she was. Red was clouding her vision and she found it hard to see. However, this was all her. The Masques weren’t making her feel this. She tried to speak, but words failed her. She had her TARDIS key, she could run off in the TARDIS and escape from here. She stepped forward slightly and she felt a hand pull her back. She glanced back at who grabbed her and remembered it was the Doctor. She felt some ease creep into her mind. Was it her own? Or the Doctor’s? 

“How long have you been watching Rose?” He asked. 

“Ever since she ran into our future descendants and went through our simulation of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.” Rose put her face in her hands. She took a deep and desperate sigh. It really was months. She had felt terrible ever since then. “She killed them, but not before we completed our mission.” Rose took her head out of her hands and clenched her fists. 

“If you know me so well, then what am I thinking now?” She asked angrily.

“Now, now, Bad Wolf, best not add any more charges,” a female voice called from behind the pair. The High Masque stood at attention. 

“Madam Morgause,” he said. Rose turned around. The Masque who told her she was sentenced to death. This was the Masque who didn’t even give her a trial. She was their leader. How did they even know about Bad Wolf?

“You’re going to kill me anyway,” Rose said, her voice filled with anger and spite. It was freeing in a way, this anger. She didn’t feel defeated or sad. The Doctor regarded her with a strange look.

“Tell us how the box works,” Madam Morgause commanded. Rose shook her head.

“Never!” 

Madam Morgause cocked her head in the same manner as the Doctor did only moments before. 

“But if we save the destruction of our planet then we won’t have to kill you. Every human is afraid of death. Even the incredibly powerful ones.”

“I didn’t do it!” Rose continued to profess her innocence. “I wouldn’t!”

“Yet you seemed all too eager to injure this poor scientist? Would an innocent person do that?”

“You lot were fooling around in my mind! Self defense!”

“Not at that very moment!” Madam Morgouse seemed actually upset by the accusation. “Now! Open the box!” 

“It happened 300 years ago! It’s a fixed point!” The Doctor cried. “There is no way to change it.”

“How can you really know that?” Madam Morgause asked. 

“I’m a Time Lord, it’s my duty to know! My time sense tells me it cannot be changed! It already feels altered enough as is!”

“Altered enough?” Rose asked, suspiciously. “What do you mean?” 

“The Time War rages on, and some things that used to be fact have changed it. Ripples of events and such, but originally the Masques were all supposed to be wiped out, then all of a sudden they’re back. Weakened, but back. We all felt the fixed point move.”

“So then it is possible to change it,” Madam Morgause said. 

“No, any attempt to change it would probably result in the prime timeline being restored.” Madam Morgause made a noise that resembled a sigh and “shook” her head. 

“Nevertheless, the plan will proceed. Tell us how to get into the box.”

“No.” The Doctor’s words were plain, but his intent was clear. His stance was strong and his grip on Rose tightened. 

“Fine, I didn’t want to stoop to your level, Planet Killer, but I suppose it’s worth it.” Madam Morgause stuck her hand out and the other Masque put a weapon in her hands. It was a gun that had space for an empty phial. The phial was handed to her next. Then a syringe. She stuck it in her hands and it filled with green liquid. Her blood. She unloaded it into the phial and into the gun. She pointed it at Rose with her hand nearing the trigger, but not on it. Rose felt a stab of fear and her face flush. “I’ll kill her if you don’t cooperate.”

“When have I ever done something like this?” Rose asked, exasperated. Rose turned to the Doctor. “Don’t listen to them Doctor, the timelines are far more important than my life.” She took a deep breath and tried to settle her stomach. She would find her way out of here. Even if they tried to kill her she had defeated them last time. She was Rose Tyler and since when did Rose Tyler give up? 

“He can speak for himself,” Madam Morgause interrupted, seemingly angry on the Doctor’s behalf. “So what do you say?” Rose gave an imploring look to the Doctor. 

“Please don’t.” The Doctor looked down at her and released a breath. 

“I won’t let you onto my ship.” Rose sighed in relief. Madam Morgause handed the weapon that held her blood to the other Masque. Cowards, Rose thought. She stepped forward and faced the both of them. 

“Do you know why we cannot see the Lower Masques Doctor?” He didn’t answer, his Adam's apple bobbed in his throat and his jaw tightened. “At first it was just a self defense tool, we could control it, but after we lost our connection with our first home, it weakened and became uncontrollable, but,” Madam Morgause said hopefully. “Emeraude 3 had the same core. If you get us our planet back, not only will all those deaths be averted, but you will have saved our people and all the others we accidentally killed, the lives that should’ve been given a chance to live.” The Doctor shook his head. 

“Some things cannot be changed. I’ve tried too many times. Now, let us go.” He commanded. Rose felt a sharp pain in her neck and she groaned. The sound of something discharging filled her ears and breathing started to become difficult. She was injected with Madam Morgause’s blood. 

“Now, now, let’s not be hasty, Bad Wolf only has two hours before she dies, however it’s my blood so I can control it. Do what we say or the girl dies.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you guys enjoying the original adventure so far? The Daleks take Manhattan won't be completely left out, but I have a plan for dealing with that another time. Also, watching series 9 of Doctor Who right now. It's all right. Very excited for a certain someone's death. I'm just ready to get to Bill, guys. I want Bill. 
> 
> My family and I are all watching series 4 together and we watched the library episodes. I spent most of the time stewing with rage. Part of it was that River Song and I do not mix, another part was Moffat and I don't agree on how the Doctor should be written. Moffat writes the Doctor like he's a godlike figure. He writes him like a superhero. We watched the same classic show and took two different interpretations out of it. I just think of him like a space hobo who gets wrapped up in events he doesn't want to.
> 
> That's why I fundamentally have trouble watching the Matt Smith era, (not a fan, really not a fan) because he's so special and everyone's obsessed with him. Also, there were no female writers at all in series 5-7. I checked. So the whole writing of the female characters is just filled with the male gaze. It's what makes all the female characters feel one dimensional. The only character I like out of the entire run is Rory. He's the best. DO NOT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE FIRST EPISODE OF SERIES SEVEN.
> 
> On the bright side, I have a lot of stuff planned on how I'm going to bring in River Song and the library episodes. I spent the time watching the two-parter by raging and planning.
> 
> See you guys next week.


	19. The Plan of the Masques II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How will the Doctor and Rose get out of this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Technically the end of the original adventure, but not really lol

The Doctor paled as he looked down to see Rose’s terrified face. Her hazel eyes were wide and already he could see the veins start to redden. He couldn’t let her die, he just couldn’t. Rose’s legs started to buckle and the Doctor caught her as she fell. He picked her up bridal style and she seemed to be already very out of it.

“So, Doctor, what will it be? Will you let your associate die?” Rose’s face was pale and she was staring off in another direction. He avoided looking down at her any further. He just couldn’t bear to see it. 

“Fine, let me unlock the TARDIS,” he said quietly. 

“Good!” The Doctor pulled a key out from Rose’s side pocket and walked over to the TARDIS with her still in his arms. She was a petite and small young woman so it wasn’t difficult to hold her. He saw that before she went up against Lazarus she had more muscles and more curves, but at that moment he was grateful for her lightweight frame. If he dropped her and she hit her head he wasn’t sure if Rose was going to wake up. 

“Don’t,” she whispered out. “I told you, you can’t.” 

“Shame, it’s my TARDIS and not yours, then. It’s my final say and I’m going to keep you alive.”

“Selfish,” she said quietly, before turning her head and looking up at the ceiling. The Doctor opened the door and Madam Morgause rushed to beat him into the TARDIS. She entered first, her cape flapping behind her. 

“It’s bigger on the inside!” She exclaimed, but the Doctor was in no mood for hearing what normally brought him so much joy. 

“Yes, yes, it’s dimensionally transcendent. So what?” He walked over to one of the chairs. He set Rose down and walked over to the console. “So, now, let’s get us to the start of when Emeraude 3 was being destroyed.” He wondered how much damage this would do to the Web of Time. Maybe a few Time Lords that hadn’t joined the war yet would notice what he was about to do and stop him. He hoped that would be the case. 

“Emeraude 3’s destruction started on–”

“I know when it started!” He barked at Madam Morgause. He glanced over to Rose, her skin was covered in a thin sheen. A frigid breeze just blew in his face and he felt it travel towards Rose. She started to shiver, but he knew what the TARDIS was trying to say. ‘Get her in a cold bath.’ Soon she would be feverish. She probably already had one now. He turned on the dial and felt the TARDIS do her best to stall. They were in the Time Vortex, so Madam Morgause couldn’t complain about any ground to stand on. The Doctor took quick steps back towards Rose and scooped her back up in his arms.

“Where are you going? We have to save Emeraude 3!” The Doctor looked back at the caped woman and simply shook her head. 

“We’re in a time machine, we have all the time in the world. Now, I’m going to the sickbay. Wait here and don’t touch anything.”

“You don’t control this situation, Doctor, I do! I could speed up her death!” The Doctor turned back to the hallway leading to the sickbay. He started to walk away from her. 

“This is still my ship, Morgause.” He didn’t know if leaving out the madam was offensive, but he didn’t care. “You’re in here because I am letting you in here. The TARDIS is alive and could kill you in the blink of an eye. I think she has a lot of fondness for this girl, so do not test her or me anymore than you already are.” He opened the closet door and found the TARDIS had moved the sickbay as he hoped. She really did like this girl. He set her down on a cot and pulled out a tub from the back. He filled it with water and set it next to Rose. He pulled out some rags and soaked them in the water before wrapping them around Rose’s arms and on her forehead. He sat next to her on the bed. 

“You can’t help her.” She tried to reach for him, but her hand fell limply at her waist. His eyes widened, her accent was thinning. How strange, he thought. 

“I know what I’m doing, Rose. She’s going to kill you.”

“I saved lives and she is going to undo all of it,” she said. The Doctor stumbled back. His eyes narrowed down at her. 

“What?” Could it be?

“You heard me.” Rose turned over on the cot. The Doctor regarded her with one last glance before he made his way back to Madam Morgause. Rose didn’t have long. He hoped he would be taller in his next regeneration, so he could run faster. He should’ve known the Masque was behind them. He should’ve. Madam Morgause was at the console looking down at it, but she hadn’t touched it. 

“Good, you’re back. Now take us to Emeraude 3.” The Doctor huffed and pressed a button opposite Madam Morgause and they landed outside of Emeraude 3’s airspace. She rushed to the doors and opened them. “Why are we not on the planet?”

“Because it’s about to explode in three days. Tremors are going to wrack the planet and the TARDIS might fall into the core of the planet. I can’t risk it.” 

“Then how are we going to get down there?” The Doctor reached into his pocket and pulled out a vortex manipulator. 

“What’s your plan, then Morgause? How do you expect to save the planet? It was going to explode anyway.”

“No, it’s not, you’re lying.” The Doctor expelled a breath out of his nose. 

“I’m not lying!”

“The planet never exploded! It blinked out of existence!”

“Before it could explode,” he said with a sigh. 

“And how would you know?”

“I told you, I’m a Time Lord, it’s my job to know.”

“It happened 300, years ago. You can’t actually know, none of us were alive back then.”

“I’m way older than 300 Morgause, do not test me.” Madam Morgause turned back to the Doctor. 

“As long as my blood is in her body without the antidote, I control her every move. I suggest you stop stalling before I kill her.” He walked over to Madam 6Morgause, closed the door, and transported them down to the planet’s surface.

* * *

Unfortunately, everything was going according to the original plan. Rose felt like she did when she tapped into the Time Shrapnel, except this wasn’t a conscious choice. Rose closed her eyes and entered her mindspace. This time she was back in the TARDIS. She found a 19-year-old version of herself staring at her. She was glowing and had a smirk on her face. She was sitting on the jumpseat. She kicked her legs back and forth.

“Who are you?” Rose asked. Her other self shrugged. 

“I’m not the best at explaining things and I can’t show you, your mind still isn’t strong enough. I’m part you, part Time, and part TARDIS, but that’s all I can say without getting weird.”

“Then let’s get weird.”

“We don’t have time to get weird. You’re dying.” Rose stormed up to the part-Time-part-her-part-TARDIS weirdo. 

“Why have you shown up now?”

“You’re in danger and since I am part you, that means I am also in danger. I only want your welfare, Rose.” She jumped off the seat and faced Rose. “Now, let me use the body for a bit.”

“Last time I wasn’t in total control of my body I almost died.”

“But you didn’t!” The other Rose sighed and smiled at her. “A lot less will happen if you consent. What happened last time was unrestrained power and you saw all possible timelines. I also promise to give the body back as soon as I’m done.” Rose gave a little nod, showing that she was considering it. “Good, now what shall we do? We can save the Doctor and just let the planet explode, how about that?”

“But then all the Green Masques will die, and what about all of the Masques I’ve faced already? They’ll have never existed.”

“Rose, Time is always in flux, the timeline where you met the Masques wasn’t even the prime timeline. It’ll compensate.”

“So we could let all of them die?” The younger looking Rose nodded. Rose shook her head. “But we aren’t going to do that, are we? I’m not going to let you kill innocent people, but what else can we do?”

“There’s more involved in this as well. The planet was set to destroy several planets around it too. However, by blinking it out of existence, as we might do would stop those planets from being destroyed and save lives.” Rose pushed out an exasperated breath from her mouth.

“What do we do?” The other Rose winked. 

“We wait.”

* * *

The Doctor had to follow Madam Morgause’s instructions or he would be killed. Madam Morgause ran to as many Masques as she could frantically getting in their faces. 

“You have to get off the planet! Someone’s coming to destroy it!” She told a family of Masques. The Masque shook its head and walked away from her. He caught part of what the family of three telepathically said to each other. They were making fun of her. The hive mind that sent out messages from the capital hadn’t told them anything. She must’ve been high on the vapors that came from the earthquakes. None of the Masques had very strong telepathic shields. They were wired into the same network, so in their minds, why would they? The Doctor shook his head. While he was here, he should actually try and save some lives. He approached the family. 

“Your planet is about to be destroyed, this High Masque isn’t lying.” They walked away from the two of them. Madam Morgause growled. 

“Why aren’t they listening?” 

“The hive mind, it was destroyed with the planet. You’ve never been under the hive mind since you were born after it. Your kind has evolved past the need for it. It’s more of a psychic net now.” An idea popped into the Doctor’s head. “There are a lot more High Masques in the future than in the past, right?” 

“Yes, there needed to be more of us to deal with the aftermath of the loss of our planet.”

“Well back in these days, High Masques were fewer in number and for the most part revered by society. The fact that you weren’t revered is because you aren’t connected to the hive mind. If we tap into the hive mind then you can make everyone listen to you.” 

“We should’ve kidnapped you much earlier.” The Doctor pulled on his cheeks. There were tall and thin structures that looked like power lines all along the pavement. They were broadcasting the psychic energy that made the hive mind. He walked over to it and Madam Morgause followed. “What’s this?” She asked. 

“It’s like a cell phone tower broadcasts the signal. If we can tap you into the signal then people will listen to you.” The Doctor’s heart ached, he needed to get back to Rose. 

“Then tap me in!” She demanded. The Doctor shook his head. “What do you mean, no?” 

“Not until you tell me about Rose’s condition.”

“She’s fine, well, by fine I mean, she’s on scheduled deterioration. She’ll be gone in about 75 minutes, so you best hurry up, Doctor.” The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and hit a box on the side that housed the control panel. He made a “come here” motion with his hands and Madam Morgause approached. 

“I’m only going to be able to tap the specific area the tower occupies since we can’t tap into another tower you’ll have to do with the radius of this specific tower.”

“People’s lives are at stake Doctor!” The Doctor sighed, sadly.

“I know.” These poor people didn’t know what was coming to them. Still the origin of how this species got this planet never sat right with him. Everyone knew it wasn’t an accident, but could he hold innocent people for the crimes of their ancestors? It wasn’t so cut and dry. Then there was Rose, dying in the sickbay. There was so much about her he didn’t know and so much he would learn about her in the future. She was achingly familiar too, but that might’ve been his desire for a new companion, not actual memories. He couldn’t let her die, the timelines around her were too important. While he didn’t peak he definitely felt her importance. He soniced open the panel and went to work on the wiring. All High Masques knew the password to get into the hive mind. The Doctor didn’t need passwords however, he was just too good. 

“What now?” Madam Morgause asked. 

“I’ve broken into the matrix,” it wasn’t called the matrix, but it sounded cool to say. “Just touch this black box here and give them your commands.” Madam Morgause reached for the box and light shot out from the eyeholes of her mask. She was in the hive mind. Her commands blasted all around them. 

“The planet will be destroyed, get off the planet.” It repeated over and over, but how would they escape? Instead of running in fear, all of the Masques nearby walked like mindless zombies over to Madam Morgause. “What’s going on, Doctor?”

“I must’ve made a mistake. They’re following you, but I don’t think they understand what you’re saying.”

“Go find me a large ship! Steal one if you have to. We’re getting these people off the planet. I’d do it myself, but if I leave the line they’ll stop listening to me. Go!” She barked. The Doctor ran off looking for anything he could consider a large ship. He was not going to let those Masques onto the TARDIS, no way. He was on a tight deadline with no way to verify if Rose was even in the condition Madam Morgause said she was in. A voice popped into his head that sounded suspiciously like Rose.

 _“Make two lefts,”_ the voice said. It was like Rose earlier when she lost her accent. He followed the instructions and found himself at a dock. This was a cruise ship for the sky. He hated how convenient it was. Hairs on the back of his neck stood up, telling him, no, but he needed to save Rose. He pulled a piece of psychic paper out of his back pocket and waved it in the face of the man checking for whatever the Green Masques used on this stupid planet. He didn’t wait for a reply and rushed into the ship. His eyes scanned the interior, looking for a map. It didn’t resemble an Earth cruise ship on the outside. It was white and sterile with not much decoration. The walls had long glass windows that stretched across the ship. That way every part of the ship offered a view. Green Masques weren’t very plentiful. Maybe only six in his line of sight. A cylinder in the center of the foyer called to him. He made his way to it and found the map he was looking for. If he followed the red line he should be able to find the bridge and take control. He hoped he wouldn’t have to take any lives. There weren’t any stairs, so he’d have to take a lift up to the bridge. Why didn’t they have stairs? Were they dumb? Once again he was reminded how the TARDIS was the most superior ship in the universe. To him at least, and hopefully to Rose as well. 

He soniced the lift and it came to his floor. He entered it, forcing the doors behind him as soon he could. There was a button that led to the bridge, but it needed a key. Again he was way too good for a key. He pointed his sonic screwdriver at the panel and made it shoot up into the bridge. He was stealing a ship! Like a pirate! If this wasn’t such a dire situation then he would’ve reveled in his predicament, only a little bit though. The lift nearly lost control at the end of its journey and launched the Doctor through the ceiling. Fortunately, the doors opened and instead of hitting his head on the metal ceiling, he tumbled out of the lift. The few Green Masques that were on board turned and looked at him in surprise. He didn’t think they were High Masques, however. 

“This ship is under new management. Relax, I’ve got this.” One of the Masques hissed at him and the Doctor switched his sonic to the particle disperser. “Stay out of my way and no one has to get hurt.” One of them reached for the clasp on their cape and the Doctor used the disperser and just like that, they were gone. A tug pulled at his heartstrings. These Masques were just doing their jobs. They weren’t hurting anyone. However, this wasn’t the first time he became the villain in someone’s history. Another Masque hissed at him, but he pointed the sonic screwdriver at them with a strong gaze. The Masque at the helm motioned for the others to back off. He walked up to the helm and set a course for, wait. Where was he going specifically? 

_“Doctor,”_ the Roseish voice in his head called. _“Fly up and straight for about a half-mile.”_

‘Who are you?’ He asked. He heard a snort in his mind. 

_“You’ll find out soon enough, and don’t worry so much. Rose is fine.”_ He felt the presence disappear from his mind and he followed the instructions. Rose may have been fine, but was she well? The Doctor peeked down at the screen and saw the crowd of Masques that had been summoned by Morgause. It was growing bigger. Hopefully, Morgause would be satisfied by the number of people. He couldn’t find a place to land that was big enough for the size of the ship. The Doctor looked around the controls for a transmat. His eyes widened. Ah, a big yellow button. How delightful. Underneath the button was a radar. _Oh_ , now he was putting together how to use the ship. He used a nearby joystick to move the scanner to focus on all the Masques Madam Morgause had under her control. He clicked the button and then boom! All the Green Masques were transported onboard. He pointed his sonic screwdriver at the Masque he assumed to be in charge. 

“Get us off the planet. Now!” The Doctor ran back to the lift. This was all to save lives, he told himself. For once he was glad he was going to bury these memories, he didn’t want to remember the lives he took that day. He entered the lift and went down to the observation deck. This floor had a protective shield around it. He could see it slightly from the space dust flying over it. They were already in space. This ship was pretty fast for a cruise ship. He found Morgause waiting for him. She radiated impatience.

“There you are.”

“It’s barely been any time since you ordered me to get you a ship.” Morgause’s head turned and she regarded the ship. 

“The ship is strangely familiar to me, but it’ll do. We have to get off, however, we must go to the capital so I can tap into the hive mind and get everyone off the planet.” 

“I got you a ship and I helped you into the hive mind. Before we go to the capital at least let me check on her, you owe me that much.”

“I owe you nothing. I will speed up her demise for your insolence.” The Doctor wasn’t even thinking when he pointed his sonic in her face. It was just instinct. 

“If she dies then I won’t have any reason to put up with you anymore. It works both ways, Morgause.”

“That won’t be necessary.” The voice came from outside the ship. The Doctor gaped when he saw the doors to the TARDIS were open. They were close. Light flared from the open doors. Rose! She appeared outside the clear barrier. She looked like she did from the video. Golden hair that looked less like hair and more like flames and gold eyes. 

“Rassilon,” he uttered under his breath. He never considered himself a fan of legends. Legends were fun to read to kids, not to take into your own beliefs. Most of the legends about She Who Holds the Future in Her Hands were lost, but Rose reminded him so much of one of the tapestries he’d seen in his youth. This was going to kill her! Rose looked undisturbed and had a placid look on her face. The Doctor ran to the barrier with Morgause following behind. He could practically feel Morgause shaking. Her terror infected all the other Green Masques nearby. It was a circular paradox. Like when he had faced the Daleks for the first time in her third incarnation. An explosion that was to be caused by an unknown entity was actually caused by rebels trying to change the past. With his help they were successful of course, but not originally. By bringing Rose back to when the planet was set to explode she could destroy the planet. Originally the planet was supposed to explode and nearly wipe out the entire solar system, but by bringing Rose here to avert the disaster in the first place, she changed the whole event. If Rose had died, then so would the Green Masques. Morgause was putting it together too. 

“We have been merciful,” Rose said, her voice ethereal and godlike. The Doctor’s eyes widened, it was almost like two people were speaking from the same body. “We are allowing you to live. This is a gift. The death of your planet right now will save billions of lives. Your planet dying is a fixed point, but the survival of your species and the others around it isn’t. It will be quick.” Rose went near the planet and sent golden light to envelope the planet just like in the video. Just like that, in an instant, the planet was gone. “Your planet is gone, all is as it should be.” The Doctor felt himself flash out of space for a moment and found himself back in his TARDIS. The doors were still open and the Doctor stumbled. Rose appeared in the doorway and the doors shut behind her. Her hair went back to what it was before (although now it was blonde). Rose soon fell on the floor.

* * *

Rose waited with the other her for a little while. They chatted. 

“So consent is one of the reasons whatever you’re planning to do with my body won’t kill me?” Rose asked. The other her nodded. 

“Yes, and I’ll be good. What I’m planning will take a lot of energy, but the excess of energy you used up wasn’t what almost killed you. It was seeing all those timelines in your head. I’m not showing you the timelines. I’m just going off what _needs_ to be done.”

“And what _needs_ to be done?” 

“Planet death.” Rose gaped. She slammed her hands on the console. The other Rose didn’t seem surprised. 

“No, I won’t let you. I’m not a killer. I’m not going to let you use my body to become one, not again.” 

“It’s not like that,” she said. “Well, it’s kind of like that, but it’s a little different. You won’t understand, not yet anyway because you aren’t part Time. The destruction of Emeraude 3 is a fixed point. It can never be changed. How it happens can, you aren’t a Time Lord, so normally the responsibility wouldn’t belong to you to see it through, but since there are none left, we are the closest thing.”

“I don’t want to,” Rose choked out. The other Rose engulfed her in a big hug. 

“I know, but we have to.” Rose broke the hug and frowned. “If it helps, we’re doing it our own way. We’re saving lives and ensuring that the species of the Green Masques can go on. We did that.” 

“We haven’t done it yet.”

“But you won’t change it,” she responded to Rose’s flat tone. “We’re too good for that. We’re saving lives.” Rose sighed when she saw no alternative. She put her face in her hands. 

“I’m going to kill all those Masques. All those people.” She started to cry. Her hands were pried from her face. The other Rose shook her head. 

“It’s almost time, two more things before I take your place. One, it’s not easy, this is not an easy decision, don’t act like it. Two put your chin up, Rose!” Rose cocked her head. 

“What?”

“Those Green Meanies can’t affect you anymore, so all your feelings are your own. It’s time you got some help and grieve properly. I’m saying this as you, not anything else. We are capable and strong. Nothing will change that. Remember when the Doctor was taken by Chloe and the Isolus?” Rose nodded her head. 

“You’re the one who found the pod and you literally took a pickaxe to a door! You did that without the Doctor or his influence. You were alone then too.”

“But I knew I could get him back!” The other Rose shook her head. 

“Rose, you’re missing what I’m saying. You did that all on your own. Now you’ve capable friends who want to help you confront everything you’ve lost. You have to let them. The Doctor wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself like this, by keeping all your grief inside like that. He would want you to be your brilliant self. You are strong, brave, and perfectly able to save the world on your own even without powers. You just so happen to have some. Now go find your last companion when I’m done here.” Rose knew the other Rose was about to leave. 

“Wait!” 

“What?” She asked.

“What about my sense of taste? What’s that about?” Rose put her hand to her chin and thought about what she could tell her. 

“It’s nothing dangerous. I’m sure you’ll find some food you enjoy again. It’s one of the trade-offs you have from acquiring these abilities. On the bright side, you actually just don’t need to eat. You just need to pop into the rift and soak up some energy. Oh, and any damage to your pacemaker will be reversed. I’m just that good” The other Rose disappeared. Rose gaped as she processed the information. She didn’t need to eat anymore? She really was losing her humanness one bit at a time, but Time-TARDIS-Rose didn’t seem too worried about it. She was just going to have to find some food she could actually eat without getting sad. Her moping around was just inhibiting her strength. The other Rose was right, she needed to start taking these things in stride and deal with everything. She supposed she couldn’t avoid everything any longer if even herself was telling her to go to some sort of therapy. She looked through the scanner. Rose could see what the body was seeing. Rose closed her eyes, not wanting to see it. Soon then it was over and when Rose opened her eyes she was back in her body. Now, she just needed to rest a little bit.

* * *

The Doctor picked up Rose and set her back in the sickbay. He monitored her vitals. She looked okay, not as good as he would’ve liked, but she wasn’t dying which is what he thought it was going to say. Her breathing was steady and she showed no sign of the virus caused by Morgause, who he did in fact leave on the ship. They needed a High Masque to lead them anyway. The Doctor snorted and pressed a wet cloth to Rose’s face. She started to stir and the Doctor grabbed a bucket in case she was going to be sick.

“Doctor?” 

“I’m here, Rose. What did you do?” He asked before he could stop himself. Rose turned over in her cot and cradled her hands. 

“I did what Time made me do.” Red flags flashed in the Doctor’s head, but he didn’t press further. “I’m going to be ok, I just need you to take me back home. Back to my friends. I need to shower and I need to cry.” The Doctor nodded and he left Rose alone. The image of her was burned into his memory. He wasn’t sure how he was going to be able to forget. Still, he knew his responsibilities as a Time Lord, and even though technically he was a terrible one he wasn’t going to violate the rules of Time. Again. All the times he’d met himself didn’t show much confidence in his abilities to follow them, but he would this time. He would take Rose home, back to his TARDIS, and erase his memories of today. Even if he didn’t want to forget all of it. He just had to hold on to the hope that he would meet her eventually. He pressed his hands to his console and sent them back to right after they left. He didn’t want her friends to be too worried for too long. Thinking she was dead must’ve been a terrible shock. The Doctor reached for his coat pocket when he remembered Rose was still wearing it. He decided to let her keep it. It was just a coat. Besides, he had his sonic screwdriver, so it didn’t really matter. He didn’t keep anything too important in there. He was just a notorious pocket clutterer. 

“Ready to take her home, Old Girl?” He got a wave of emotion from the TARDIS that reminded him of reluctance. “You’ll see her again, don’t worry.”

“I can’t hear her in my mind,” Rose said behind him. The Doctor turned around in shock. “I think I’m too weak, normally I can hear her speaking to me.”

“How?” The Doctor asked, with a gasp. Rose shrugged and walked around the console, sluggishly, getting a feel for it. 

“I looked into the Time Vortex, I used the Heart of the TARDIS. She looked into me and I looked into her. I think we’re connected.” The Doctor’s eyes widened and he felt a wash of agreement fall over him. 

“You really are a precious girl, I look forward to meeting you for the first time, soon?” Rose laughed, but only slightly. 

“I’m not telling you, you’ve already got enough stuff to forget. Why are you in such a hurry to regenerate? You’re going through them quickly.” 

“I suppose you’re right.” The Doctor pressed his hand to his forehead and averted his gaze. He never expected this day to turn out this way. At least he now knew what happened to cause the Masques to suddenly survive. He took them down and they rematerialized hopefully only a minute after they left. Rose’s eyes widened when they landed and she rushed to the doors. She turned and faced the Doctor.

“Do you mind asking future Lucy where she needs to go next and taking younger Lucy there? It’s a whole circular paradox, she knows what to say and what not to say. I just… I just can’t do it. Please?” She batted her eyelashes and the Doctor gave in almost immediately.

“Ok, let’s go reunite you with your friends.” Rose opened the doors to the TARDIS and ran out. The Doctor followed behind her. He saw Shareen run out of the older TARDIS and swing Rose around in a hug. Martha followed behind and he saw Lucy poke her head through the doors.

“Your hair!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> School has been destroying me ngl. I only wrote 1,000 words this week, I've been super drained and sad. UGHhh. Sorry, I seem so unprofessional, I'm just not in the mood. 
> 
> Did you guys enjoy the conclusion? Did I surprise you? Was my EightRose good? I tried. 
> 
> This chapter does change a lot. I'd love to hear your feedback.


	20. Journey into Rose's Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Rose's ordeal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are a lot of references to Classic Who and the comics in this part. Specifically, genesis of the Daleks, the Invasion, the green death, and the comic official secrets. (I'm way too lazy to capitalize right now)

The Doctor did what Rose had asked, which she gratefully appreciated. Soon after he locked his memories and Rose had to deal with the fallout of the day on her own. Like always, Rose thought as she turned on the hot water. She was caked in sweat from being sick and she was ready to feel fresh again. The Doctor had let her keep the coat, though she doubted she would ever use it again. She let the water cascade down her skin and she pressed her forehead against the tiles. She thought back to what the other Rose said to her. She had friends who wanted to help her. She just needed to let them. Rose grabbed some shampoo and began to wash her hair. Rose didn’t actually remember getting onto the TARDIS; she was too sick. She was so lucky that whatever happened to her actually reversed some of the damage and not caused more. She traced her pacemaker scar with her pointer finger and sighed. 

She wondered what her mother would’ve said if she knew what happened to Rose. Tears streamed down her face and she sunk to the floor of the shower. She didn’t want to talk to her friends, she wanted her mum. She wanted the Doctor, the Doctor who ended the Time War. What she did felt too entirely similar. Rose stood up, hair thoroughly rinsed though not conditioned. She turned off the showerhead and applied a thin layer of the lotion she used to keep her skin young and ran out of the shower. She pulled on fresh clothes, not caring that she wasn’t dry and ran into the console room. Shoes were forgone. Rose’s hands seemed to move independently from her thoughts. Rose punched a code in the dematerialization circuit and whisked them away to where she wanted to go. 

“Where are we going?” One of her companions asked. Rose couldn’t tell which one, she wasn’t paying close enough attention. 

“I need to see someone,” she said. 

“Rose, you need a break after what just happened. Please, just take us back into the Time Vortex.” Rose shook her head and they made their descent. 

‘Am I right? Is this where I need to go?’ Rose asked the TARDIS. She hoped for a response.

_ “You have the right idea, Little Wolf, but I feel as if you should read up more on psychic attacks before you go out on your own.”  _ Rose’s nose crinkled and she hissed. 

‘No, I need to see her now.’

_ “As you wish.”  _ The TARDIS sounded resigned, well as resigned as a ship could be, and began to land and she ran to the door. She was certain she remembered Sarah Jane’s house in Ealing, 13 Bannerman Road. She poked her head out the window and there she found herself. She sighed in relief and looked up at the sky. It was sunset and looked as gloomy as Rose felt. 

“Don’t follow me, I’m just going to visit a friend. I want to be alone. Do not follow me.” Rose ran out without saying another word. The air around her seemed to grate on her senses. She marched quickly down the entrance and Sarah Jane came out with wide eyes. She saw Rose and smiled, but quickly retracted back to a neutral expression when she saw Rose’s distress. Rose’s speed picked up and wrapped her arms around Sarah Jane’s frame. She didn’t intend for it to be a bone-crushing hug, but she was just so overwhelmed by Sarah’s presence. Someone who knew what it was like to make terrible decisions. 

“Rose!” She cried as Rose relaxed her grip on Sarah Jane. Sarah Jane looked down at Rose somewhat reluctantly, she was glad Rose couldn’t see her face. Sarah Jane was definitely not the mothering sort, and Rose was born in the 1980s, so she was certainly old enough to be her daughter. Sarah Jane ushered her inside and Rose sat down on her sofa. “Do you need a cuppa?” Sarah Jane asked. Rose shook her head sadly. 

“No but something else strong would be nice,” she responded dryly. A humorless laugh bubbled up in her throat. Rose gave a moan of discomfort when the grating didn’t stop.

“You’re all wet, do you want a towel?” Rose nodded and Sarah Jane ran to get her one, leaving Rose alone with her own feelings. Was this really on Rose? She consented for her body to be used, but she technically didn’t actually destroy Emeraude 3. Rose sighed, she didn’t really believe that. That was just a clever lie to take some of the blame off herself. She knew that she had supposedly done the right thing by agreeing to let the other Rose use her body, but she couldn’t help but feel disgusted with herself. Sarah Jane returned with a towel and a blanket. 

“What happened?” Sarah Jane asked. Rose tried to find the right words. Her skin was crawling. Like the spirits of those she had killed were coming at her from all angles. Her eyes felt dry and it was hard to see. She was tired, so tired. She searched the recesses of her mind for what to say. Sarah Jane had been silent ever since she asked her question, but she could feel her gaze. 

“Have you ever done something that seems like a good thing, but you still feel terrible about it?”

“Like destroying the Daleks?” Rose cocked her head. She thought the Doctor would’ve told her if she did something like that, especially since Rose did the same thing.

“You destroyed the Daleks?” Sarah Jane shook her head. 

“The Doctor, Harry, and I,” Sarah paused. “Did the Doctor or I ever tell you about Harry?” Rose shook her head. “Well, he traveled with the Doctor and me back in the old days. For about a year, maybe? He was a doctor working at UNIT and he was with us when we encountered the Daleks. He was an incredible man, helped save thousands of lives by developing vaccines after he traveled with us. He went missing in action back in 2005, you wouldn’t have heard about it since you missed a year.” Sarah Jane’s eyes went glassy. “I don’t even know if he’s still alive, I’m sorry, you’re upset.” Rose shook her head and gave her a small smile. She wanted to hear the story and if she had to get through something unrelated to get to it, she would.

“Don’t feel bad, we both have a lot of feelings towards our time with the Doctor.” Sarah Jane sat down next to Rose. 

“That we do,” Sarah Jane expelled a breath through her nose. “Well, the Doctor, Harry, and I were sent to Skaro by the Time Lords to destroy the Daleks before they were even created.” Rose’s eyes widened. She could and couldn’t believe he would do that. She was shaking slightly and she had to focus extra hard to get it to stop.

“What happened?” He obviously failed, Rose silently added. Sarah Jane began to regale Rose with the story of how they had been separated and Harry and the Doctor went through terrible interrogations and how she had to work in a camp operated by the Thals. There wasn’t a clear cut side, even though the Kaleds were the creators of the Daleks they weren’t all bad, and that Davros their creator was absolutely crazy. 

“The Doctor just had to connect these to wires and he would’ve destroyed the Daleks all together. I begged him to do it, but he asked us if he had the right to destroy the Daleks because of how much good the fear of them had done, in the end, he couldn’t do it, but he did delay them by several years. It really tore him up. Personally I think he should’ve done it, still to this day, but he mentioned how even though the Daleks would commit unspeakable acts and atrocities that they would also bring a lot of good in spite of them.” Rose bit her lip. Hearing that story didn’t make her feel any better. Would the Doctor hate her for what she’d done? For doing something similar to what he had been forced to attempt the first time and for what he did to end the Time War? “Why did you ask?”

“I,” Rose paused, would Sarah Jane understand? Rose certainly hoped so. “There was this planet, Emeraude 3, it was about to explode and it was going to take out an entire system.” Tears were falling freely from her eyes as she struggled to recount the events of the day. Her skin was burning from the hot tears. She stopped for clarification a couple of times, but that was it. When she finished Sarah Jane didn’t hesitate to wrap Rose up in a hug. She let Rose cry into her shoulder. 

“You did the right thing,” she whispered after a few minutes of the only sounds in Sarah Jane’s house being Rose’s sobs. “I promise you did the right thing.”

“Why does it feel like I did the wrong thing? I could’ve said no.” Sarah pulled back.

“You saved billions of lives. We don’t know what would’ve happened to your body if you said no. You healed yourself and got rid of the toxin. I’m honestly more appalled at the fact that they were in your mind for months. I’ve been brainwashed enough times to know how terrible you feel after it. On top of all that your inner self was right. You’ve barely even accepted that the Doctor’s gone and I’m sure seeing him before he knew you must’ve hurt.” Rose nodded. 

“Especially since it was before the Time War. He had no true idea of what he was going to go through. It was hard to look at him sometimes.” Sarah Jane stood up and held up her finger, indicating that she was getting something.

“Just a second.” Rose wrapped the blanket around herself and brushed her hands through her hair. It was starting to wave up a bit from air drying. Sarah Jane came back from wherever she went with a picture. It was her, Harry, and an older man with white hair who Rose could just tell was the Doctor, the Brigadier, and Benton. She had met them back when she traveled with the Doctor before his regeneration. Rose’s eyes widened. 

“I remember now, I met Harry once!” Sarah Jane cocked her head. 

“You did?” Rose nodded quickly. 

“When I met the Brigadier and Benton! The Doctor, Jack, and I went back looking for someone. Harry and I were held in neighboring cells! I was hyper-focused on this guy named Dean which is who we were looking for so we didn’t talk too much, but he called me Old Girl!” 

“Me too! All the time! It was infuriating really.” Sarah and Rose smiled, knowing the tension had been broken, just a little bit. 

“I’m sorry he went MIA.” Rose looked down at her hands. 

“Harry was a brave man, but I brought you this picture because I thought maybe you should meet them now. Mike Yates isn’t in the photo and I doubt you knew him since he retired from UNIT before the Doctor regenerated. We could meet them for drinks tomorrow.”

“I’m sure they’re all very busy,” Rose said. “Such short notice probably means no one could come.”

“Rose! You have a time machine! We can easily go back six months and schedule this ahead of time. Where’s your imagination? You’re 22! Not 50! Have some fun! Not everything is about responsibilities! Sure you may have more now that you have control over the TARDIS, but you’re still young!” A smile graced Rose’s face and Sarah Jane grabbed her by the hand and dragged her back into the TARDIS.

* * *

The next day, Rose and Lucy joined Sarah Jane, the Brigadier, John Benton, and Kate Stewart for drinks at a pub frequented by UNIT soldiers. Rose didn’t know who Kate Stewart was, but Lucy vouched for. Shareen and Martha went to go visit their families instead. Rose had hoped Shareen would’ve gone with her, but she hadn’t seen her parents in months. It wasn’t for Rose to complain. She would’ve loved to have her mother right now. Rose pulled open the door and entered the pub with Lucy following behind. Sarah Jane waved Rose over to a big table in the back. The grating against her senses hadn’t stopped, it had been better when she was aboard the TARDIS, but now that she was back outside the overstimulation of every sense was beginning to hurt again.

“Rose, over here!” A blonde woman stared at Lucy. 

“You never formally took a leave of absence, Dr Gupta, if you weren’t traveling with Miss Tyler I would have had you fired.” Lucy blushed sheepishly and sat down. 

“Sorry, Officer Stewart.”

“Osgood’s working overtime because of you,” She said with a twinkle in her eye. Lucy crossed her arms. Rose smiled at Lucy’s interrogation and tried to push her pain aside. 

“Osgood’s a big girl, she can handle it.” The Brigadier and Benton did look like their ages caught up to them. 

“Hello Miss Tyler, it’s been a long time,” the Brigadier said. Rose nodded and sat across from Lucy and next to Benton.

“Certainly not as long as it’s been for me. It’s only been a couple of years on my end. Not the, how long has it been, 20 or 30 years? I’m not sure, the Doctor never said whether it was the 70s or 80s.” The Brigadier was going to answer, but Lucy stood up. 

“I’m going to the bar, what does everyone want?” The group gave their orders and Lucy went away to go get everything. 

“It’s a shame about the Doctor,” Benton said. “We wish we could’ve met him in his current regeneration. He really was a good friend to everyone here at UNIT.” Rose’s mouth flattened into a thin smile and she nodded. 

“I think it might’ve been best that he never saw you before he got stuck,” Rose said with a lump in her throat. “When he met Sarah we got into a bit of an argument about aging and withering. It might’ve upset him to see you both.” The Brigadier nodded. He’d put on some weight in his old age. 

“I suppose it might’ve, but we can’t speculate over things that never happened, Miss Tyler,” he said gently. “That kind of thinking only hurts people. Benton and I know that well, even Sarah knows that.”

“Yeah, Miss Tyler, the Brigadier and I have had years to come to terms with all we’ve seen throughout the years, and part of learning to deal with it is accepting that you have to live with what happened and not what could’ve happened if you made a different choice,” Benton added. Soon after the drinking started. Heavy drinking. Rose had a pacemaker so she wasn’t allowed any alcohol consumption. She was just enjoying the conversation, even though her ears were slowly being filled with a quiet ringing. Rose found out that Officer Stewart wasn’t just Lucy’s boss, but also the Brigadier’s daughter. She had insisted Rose call her Kate. It was nice to be with people who knew the Doctor (Kate had actually never met him, she came because she wanted to harass Lucy). She loved her friends, but it was hard talking to them sometimes. Lucy knew a little too much, Martha didn’t know the Doctor at all, and Shareen had been a bit distant recently. 

“Yetis had taken over the Tube and filled it with fog, I met the Doctor wandering around in the tunnels. He was short back then with a Beatles haircut.” Rose snorted at the thought of the Doctor short. She just couldn’t imagine it. He had always towered over her. “The Doctor defeated the Great Intelligence and saved the whole world. My encounter with the Doctor that day was the reason I have my life now. I’m very grateful to him. We’ve actually met several times before this, Miss Tyler. Not just the one time you remember.”

“Really?” She asked. The Brigadier nodded. 

“I can’t tell you the whole details, but it should come up very soon.”

“Oh,” Rose said. She took another sip of her water and smiled as they continued to tell more stories about the Doctor and his past. She finally learned about the Loch Ness monster story and at the end, they all raised a glass in Harry’s honor. Kate ended up telling a story about Osgood, Lucy, and her. Lucy strongly objected to since apparently she had a bit of a rivalry with this Osgood woman. Though Rose could’ve sworn Lucy had blushed ever so slightly.

“I’m glad the science division has so many more women,” Sarah Jane said. “Back when I was there with the Doctor it was just me.”

“You would’ve loved Jo, Rose,” Benton said, swirling his glass. They all decided to forgo formalities after their third round. “She was great, very full of life.” Rose cocked her head. Sarah Jane rested her hand on Rose’s shoulder. Rose hissed in pain mentally. She didn’t want Sarah Jane to think she was angry at her. She was glad to finally have a good relationship with her.

“She was the companion before me,” she said.

“What happened to her?” Rose drank from her water. Benton shook his head. 

“Nothing bad, she just left to get married.” The Brigadier laughed and took a swig from his whiskey. “Mike Yates was heartbroken.”

“Cliff Jones!” The Brigadier said. “She knew that man for two days at most! Still, she had seven children with him and they're still married, so I suppose they're happy.” Rose’s eyes nearly burst out of her skull. She gaped. 

“Seven! I’m not even sure I want one!” That many children seemed like the biggest hassle she’d ever heard of. Rose had wanted a kid or two (at most) before the Doctor, but then she met him. Kids weren't conducive to the lifestyle she wanted. Good on Jo for having it all.

“She travels around the world protesting with her gaggle of children and grandchildren. They’ve done a lot of good for the rainforest.” 

“That’s incredible, I’d love to meet her.”

“So would I,” Sarah Jane said. She shifted her glance from Benton to Rose. “I never met her, she left for the Amazon the week after she got married.” Rose sighed and took another sip of water. “You should really meet Mike Yates,” she told Rose. “He’s had to deal with similar things in the past.” 

“Like what?” Kate asked. Lucy looked at her boss and shook her head. Rose sighed and put her head in her hands. 

“You don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to,” Benton said. “We all have experiences we want to forget.” Rose nodded and the grating turned to burning. This pain had been worse than anything she had felt all day. A buzzing filled her ears, the ringing had also gotten louder. Her eyes shifted back and forth and she looked around the pub for the origin of the noise.

“Do you hear that?” she asked as she moved her hands to her ears. The buzzing was increasing in intensity. The group looked at her strangely. Lucy’s breath hitched. 

“No,” Sarah Jane said. “We can’t.” Lucy shot up from her seat and quickly dialed a number on her phone. It was like someone was rubbing her body against a large cheese grater at full force. The ringing and buzzing was getting worse. It was like she was in an explosion.

“You thought it was over?” a voice called on her head. “You thought you could’ve gotten rid of me? You left me in the past, but parts of me still existed in your mind!” Rose accidentally knocked her glass off the table and onto the ground. The sound of shattering glass brought attention to the table. Rose’s eyes opened and she looked at her newfound friends. 

“I don’t know if it’s real or fake,” she whispered. Sarah Jane stood up and practically jumped out of her position in the booth. She pushed her way out and carefully made her way to be in front of Rose. A bartender came over with a broom and a dustpan. The Brigadier gave him a look and he left the broom and dustpan with them. 

“They’re still in your head?” Sarah Jane asked. Rose didn’t need to answer. “I’m so sorry Rose.” Tears were falling silently down her face.

“You saved my people, that’s what you think? No! You killed us!” Kate Stewart got out of her position in the booth and began to clear out the pub. 

“I want to forget,” Rose choked out. “I can’t forget, but I want to.” She began to shriek in pain. She felt like her brain was being squeezed from the inside.

_ “Little Wolf, come with me,” _ it was the TARDIS. A warm presence filled her mind and all of a sudden she was freed from her pain. She was back in her mindspace. She was in the TARDIS console room. The 19-year-old version of herself pulled her into a hug. She gripped her hard and didn’t let go. The pair sunk to the grating and Rose couldn’t stop crying.

* * *

Rose’s eyes collapsed into the back of her head and she fell onto Benton’s shoulder. Lucy gasped and she ran outside the pub, she was waiting for something. Sarah Jane turned to the Brigadier. 

“She’s under some sort of attack.” One of the bartenders hit an alert underneath the bar and shudders went down over the windows. Benton and the Brigadier took one half of Rose and set her on a cot that one of the bartenders had procured for them. This pub was frequented by members of UNIT for a reason. 

“How did the Doctor break Mike Yates out of his trance?” Benton asked. The Brigadier tutted. 

“The crystal he stole from Metebelis 3. Yates was only hypnotized; this is different, Benton.”

“I know, but we have to think of something.” Rose’s face scrunched up but went serene a second later. If the group gathered around her didn’t know any better they would’ve thought she was dead. The door to the pub was pushed open forcefully and a young woman joined the fray. Shareen Costello. The file on her was small and unimpressive at UNIT headquarters because no one there had met her yet. Shareen set her eyes on Rose and everyone could just feel the devastation in her heart. It radiated off of her and she ran to Rose, pushing Kate out of the way. 

“What happened?” She asked furiously. “What’s wrong with Rose?” Shareen sat on the cot and pulled Rose’s head onto her lap. No one had the heart to stop her. A whimper came from Rose’s mouth and Shareen let out a sob. “We thought she was dead yesterday, but when she got back she didn’t want to talk about it and we didn’t push. This has to be about what they did to her, right?” Sarah Jane nodded. 

“They were in their head, perhaps they never left?” Shareen looked down at Rose with her mouth opened as wide as it could go. 

“They were in her head? Oh, Rose.” 

“Where’s Martha?” Lucy asked. She had called for both of them, not just Shareen. Martha’s status as a med student was technically more useful than Shareen’s status as Rose’s best friend.

“She’s got a lot to explain to her mother, Francine wouldn’t let her leave. We have to go pick her up later.” Lucy nodded and gave Kate the go-ahead for her to call in reinforcements. Shareen stroked Rose’s hair. “When we were in pre-conquest England she told me about the TARDIS and how it was telepathic. She didn’t want to worry me because she didn’t like the idea of me going in blind. She didn’t know the TARDIS was telepathic at first either. She must feel so violated right now.”

“She must’ve retreated back into her mind, but I didn’t know a human could do that,” the Brigadier said.

“Rose can talk to the TARDIS,” Shareen said. “It must have something to do with that.”

“She can talk to the TARDIS?” Benton asked, shocked. Sarah Jane looked like she didn’t know this either.

Shareen nodded.  “We don’t have time for me to explain. How do we fix this?” 

“None of us can go into her mind and see what’s in there, we're humans after all. None of us have telepathy.”

“Do you think she’d even want us to go in there? She can’t exactly tell us,” Lucy told them. “Rose already has one unknown entity in her mind, I don’t think she’d want anyone else in there as well.” A tear fell from Shareen’s eye and onto Rose’s face. 

“Oh, Rose, what’s in there?”

* * *

Rose and the other her ran further into the TARDIS. 

“Madam Morgause put some of her blood in you, we have to hide from the imprint of her mind.” Rose nodded and they went into her TARDIS bedroom. Rose pushed things in front of the door. 

“What can I call you?” Rose asked. “Can’t just continue to call you Other Me if we keep meeting like this.”

“I’m not Bad Wolf if that’s what you’re asking. Bad Wolf is us, together. She can’t make her reappearance yet. She had her time, now is the time for you and me. You can call me, Loup.” 

“Ok, Loup, what can we do? How is Madam Morgause still here? I thought she would’ve been purified with the disease.”

“She might have snuck onto your brainwaves. This is just an imprint of Madam Morgause’s original personality. It’s an afterimage. She’d be dead by now since you left her in the past.” 

“Then why are we hiding, Loup?”

“We’re hiding because you’re afraid.” Rose’s eyes widened.

“Does that mean she’s not actually a danger?”

“No she’s very much a danger, she’s a very powerful afterimage, but she’s a lot more powerful when you’re afraid.” Rose knew what she had to do. She felt in her bones. She needed a barrier. She had to hide from Madam Morgause as long as she could. “Are you sure?” Loup asked. 

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

* * *

Rose was becoming a little pale and her breathing went shallow. Emotions were racing through Shareen’s head. What was going to happen to her? Would she need to go on a ventilator or life support? Would she ever wake up? The pub door opened again and a young teen walked in. Her hair was short and dark. The old man with the mustache seemed to recognize her. She was probably around 15 or 16 years old. She looked down at Rose and Shareen. She frowned, glanced back at the door, and went to the two of them. 

“I could feel the psychic energy from several streets away, what happened?”

“You could feel it?” She nodded. 

“It was very powerful, my grandfather didn’t want me to go, but I slipped away. What happened?” 

“There’s a creature in her head,” Shareen said. “None of us can go in and help her. We aren’t telepaths.”

“Let me try,” she said. Shareen’s eyebrows rose. 

“What?”

“I can help,” she insisted. She went to Rose and Shareen. “My name is Susan, I’m telepathic.” 

“I’m Shareen and this is Rose.” Shareen used her hands to point to Rose. Susan’s eyes widened for a second, but her face quickly went back to normal. Susan’s hands went to Rose’s face, but she didn’t touch her. Her fingers were just above Rose’s temples. 

“May I?”

Shareen nodded. “We don’t exactly have any other option.” Susan’s fingers lightly dusted over Rose’s face and Susan’s eyes closed tight. She quickly opened her eyes and frowned. 

“Her mind is locked up tight. Since she doesn’t recognize me, she won’t let me in. Her defenses are strong, very strange for a Human.”

“She’s a bit more than a Human, I think, but I don’t know where she could’ve learned to make barriers in her head. Unless she did them yesterday, but I don’t think those were among her priorities.”

“She’s really terrified, I can feel it just by touching her. You’re her friend, right?” Shareen nodded. 

“Would you say you’re very close?” 

“We used to be.” Susan expelled an angry breath. 

“If you were only telepathic, then I could take you in with me. I don’t know how telepathy works on regular Humans.”

“She should be able to take it,” Lucy chimed in. “It’s not entirely impossible for humans to go into other human’s minds.” Shareen’s head flicked back to Lucy.

“You’re the one who isn’t fully human, why not you?”

“Plasmavores aren’t telepaths either, so we have about an equal chance of surviving.” Shareen opened her mouth to interrupt, but Lucy stopped her. “You’re way closer to Rose. You’re her best friend. She trusts you more than she trusts Martha and me combined. It has to be you.” Shareen felt blood rush to her face. What if she wasn’t able to do it? What if she died? What if she destroyed her mind or her friend’s mind!  _ Rose’s mind _ . Rose was much more than just her friend. She was family. Even worse, what if Rose didn’t forgive Shareen for entering her mind without her permission? What if she was kicked off the TARDIS? Well, that wouldn’t be all bad, she wasn’t the hugest fan of traveling around at the moment, considering Rose got hurt nearly every time. AND she would be in her own time, so that wasn’t bad, but she would hate to leave on a rough note. Shareen took a deep breath. 

“Ok, I’ll do it, what do you need me to do?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank goodness I've been writing these chapters ahead of time because it's been two weeks and I'm still not done with Lucy's coming out chapter. I've just been so stressed with school. It's not even funny how tired I am. I'd take a nap, but my sleep schedule would be even more effed up lol. 
> 
> How was the chapter? Excited? Next chapter is the final part of what feels like a forever long original story. (well, more original stories on the way, but they aren't interconnected like this)
> 
> hopefully, I'll be able to finish Lucy's coming out chapter today, but Idk. I've been thinking about taking a break from posting, but I don't think I'm going to do that. I write ahead of time so I don't have to take breaks from posting. 
> 
> anyway, peace out.


	21. Journey into Rose's Mind II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shareen and Susan break into Rose's mind

Susan grasped Shareen’s hand and Shareen felt like she was being squeezed. Her eyes shut immediately and she tried to put her hands on her head. The pressure quickly eased into a dull ache and her eyes flew open. Susan and Shareen were in Outer Space. Shareen forgot to breathe. 

“We’re just in her mind, you can take a breath,” she said. “She must love Space. It’s portrayed in her mind with such reverence.” 

“Considering what we do, I guess it’s a given.” Shareen shrugged with one arm.

“What do you do?” Susan asked. 

“We travel around the universe in a spaceship. Solving problems and getting into trouble, that’s basically it.”

“Really?” Susan’s tone was shocked. “But you’re humans, how can that be possible?”

“You’re not?” Susan shook her head. “That makes sense, you’re telepathic.” Shareen started to tell Susan what she thought was necessary. “Rose,” Shareen tried to think of a good word. “She inherited this spaceship and now she takes me and a couple friends around with her. She’d be really lonely traveling without us.” Susan nodded, as if she had a similar experience. 

“It very much can be, yes. Especially if you’re traveling with people who don’t understand you.” Shareen was shocked, she did have a similar experience! Oh well, it made sense. Nothing surprised Shareen anymore. She had seen basically everything at this point. They began to drift in their position. 

“How can we get to where she’s hiding?” Shareen asked. “We’re just drifting aimlessly in her head.”

“Call out to her, maybe she’ll answer back.”

“Rose!” The sound echoed off the stars, which proved they really weren’t in space. “Rose! I’m here! Where are you?” She got pushed back and flew away. “Rose, please! It’s me! Shareen!” A vision blasted in her face and a feeling crept up her body starting from her toes, traveling up to her head. She saw Rose. She saw her at all of the worst moments of her life. Including a memory Shareen hadn’t ever heard about before. It was Rose when they were 14, she was standing in front of their friend Keisha. Her thoughts were being broadcasted out, but she wasn’t opening her mouth.

Oh god, she was going to tell her she liked her. Shareen gaped, she had no idea Rose had feelings for Keisha, she thought she had feelings for Jay. 

“What is this about, Rose?” Keisha said, raising her eyebrows. Rose started to stutter and grow red. “Oh my god, do you have a crush on Jay? Is that what you wanted to tell me?”

“Uh, yeah sure, that’s what I wanted to say.” Rose’s disappointment was palpable, but she was grateful for the out. It was all a lie, Shareen realized. Shareen didn’t even have time to think about the implications of the memory, she just had to focus on what she was projecting. This was a moment of great pain in her life. Just when she lost the Doctor. Sharen turned around and there it was, Rose crying in a blue hoodie. The same blue hoodie she was wearing on Christmas. Right after she lost the Doctor. It was pain, that feeling, she was in such pain. Shareen didn’t even understand how badly she was hurt by the Doctor’s absence. Flashes of memories of Rose and the Doctor and how much he meant to her. Rose had shut down after their separation and while Shareen knew it was bad, she had no idea it was this bad. She had been hiding all of that from Shareen. A tear fell from Shareen’s eye. Her friend was suffering and she was just letting it happen. Shareen pulled on one of Rose’s selves and tugged on her until she was solid. 

“Rose! You’re safe! I’m here! Rose!” The Rose she gripped onto slapped Shareen’s hand away. 

“Get out! You aren’t welcome!” She disappeared from her sight and Shareen found herself back to where she was before. Drifting with Susan in Rose’s mindspace.

“Did you see that?” Susan shook her head. 

“No, but I could feel it. She was sending her emotional pain out as a deterrent. She doesn’t want you to save her.” Shareen’s eyes narrowed and she went back on the path she was trying to go on. 

“Too bad, I don’t care what she wants. That’s my best friend since childhood, no way in hell am I going to let her retreat into her mind and let whatever is in there kill her. Rose!” She shouted. “I’m coming to get you!”

* * *

_ “I’m coming to get you!” _ Rose paled and she nearly collapsed on the bed. Loup looked at her strangely. She remembered when the Doctor said those words to her over a year and a half ago. She was here in her head. How did she get here? Rose wondered. Another presence in her mind was familiar but unfamiliar all the same. That must’ve been how. She couldn’t feel Madam Morgause anymore. 

“Where’s Morgause?” Loup twitched. 

“She’s gone,” she twitched again. “Why are you attacking me, Rose?” Loup put her hands on Rose’s shoulders. 

“I’m not attacking you,” Rose said in distress. Loup shook her head. Her eyes were wide and wet with tears.

“You don’t trust me, and you wanted everyone to go,” her voice grew quiet and weak as the sentence moved on. “You’re not strong enough to differentiate from friend or foe.” Loup groaned and started to glow. “I have to go away or you’ll kill me, you can’t! You need me! You’ll die without me!” She shrieked and disappeared into a ball of light and flew away. The atmosphere without Loup began to change. Things blew around her room like a tornado was in the center. The environment was melting around her, bits of melted room hit her in the face. It was hot like blood. Rose found herself back in the room.  _ That room. _ The white wall was just as cruel as she remembered. Rose shook her head. This was in her head, that’s why the wall looked like that. This wasn’t real. She had to focus on the fact that this wasn't real. It hurt to look at the wall, like when she looked at the void ship. 

“Rose!” Rose’s eyes widened and she looked to one of the levers. 

“Doctor!” She needed to help the Doctor. She wasn’t going to leave him, not ever. He stood there with the magna clamps. He handed one to her and they set them on the walls. Why was the wind blowing? They hadn’t opened the void yet. She ran and gave the Doctor one last hug, just in case. She then went to her lever and he went to his. It started, Rose hung on the wall. The Doctor on the other one, but his! Oh, his lever was knocked loose by a Dalek. The Doctor’s grip was strong and he was long, he was safe. He wouldn’t fall. He set the lever back into place. He couldn’t fall. Then another Dalek came through and bumped into him slightly. Just slight enough for him to lose his grip. He reached for her as he fell. Rose screamed and he was sent into the void, but before he hit the void, Pete showed up. He held onto his hand and they were sent into his world. Rose was separated from the Doctor forever. 

“Come back!” She cried. She cried until her voice went hoarse. “Come back!” Rose ran to the wall. She hit the wall again and again. Mascara streamed down her face and she cried. 

“Let me in, Rose,” a voice called from behind the wall. A female voice. Shareen! “Let me in, and let me help you!” 

“No, you can’t bring him back to me!”

“No, I can’t! And I’m sorry! But I can help you get out of here and keep his legacy alive!” A small hole appeared in the wall. Rose could see Shareen and a small young woman at her side. Memories of what happened after she lost the Doctor filled her mind. She was already trying to keep his memory alive.

“But I’m not!” She told Shareen as the hole grew larger. “I’m tarnishing it! I've failed! You don’t know what I did!” She sent her memories to Shareen and the young woman. All the pain and suffering. All that the Green Masques did. The wall was sealing back up slowly as she felt Shareen shift through Rose’s memories. Shareen wouldn’t understand and that was ok, she wanted her to leave. She wanted to stay here, by this wall. She would stay here by this wall and never come out. 

“Good, Bad Wolf, good.” Madam Morgause appeared behind Rose. She turned around and faced Madam Morgause. She looked melted and green. Her mask was torched and looked terribly distorted. “It’s just you and me now.” Strange, Rose didn’t feel any other strange presence in her mind. She only felt three, but Madam Morgause was right in front of her. 

“Leave me alone!” She shouted. “I didn’t do anything wrong!”

“Keep telling yourself that!”

“I saved people! It was a fixed point! Nothing could’ve changed it! I saved your race! Billions of lives were saved!” 

“You left me!” A pain pricked her temple.

“You were the only High Masque left. It needed to be that way.” 

“You’re a monster!”

“Rose, please! Let me through!” It was Shareen again. “Let me help you! She’s not real!” Rose blanched. She looked back at the wall and back at Madam Morgause. She was gone. 

“Shareen?”

* * *

“Rose! Please, I’m sorry you had to go through that alone and I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you right after you lost him! I let you pretend everything was fine and I hurt you! Let me be there for you now!” Shareen shouted through the wall. Susan wasn’t paying attention, she was sifting and dissecting through the memories Rose had sent their way. This wasn’t just a TARDIS it was her TARDIS. That man was her grandfather. He regenerated so young. Susan didn’t understand why Grandfather was stuck there. Couldn’t another Time Lord go and open the walls for her? Well, her grandfather wasn’t on the best terms with the Time Lords at her moment in time since they were both on the run from Gallifrey, but Runcible was her grandfather’s friend! Maybe he could help. 

“Rose, no one is speaking to you!” A woman, the spitting image of Rose really, appeared behind them. Susan, however, could tell she was not who Shareen thought she was. “Rose,” she said, with a sigh of relief. 

“I am not Rose. well, kind of, but not really. You may call me Loup.” Susan recognized it as the French word for wolf, but knew it just seemed like the name Lou to Shareen. Interesting. “She sent me away and I cannot return to her side.” Loup seemed to bear an emotion that was a cross between distraught, worry, and tiredness. “She made me lie to her. She thinks she is under attack by an afterimage of Madam Morgause. You know who she is, correct?” Shareen and Susan nodded, having seen the memories that Rose sent their way. As much as she knew the situation did not call for a little bit of delight, but the fact that she technically had the same name as Rose had indeed dawned on her. Her grandfather had chosen to travel with a girl named Rose long after Susan had stopped traveling with him. Her real name was Arkytior, the Gallifreyan word for rose. Something about that brought a small smile to her face. 

“She showed us what happened,” Shareen said, biting her lip and wiping her eyes. “You’re saying the Masques aren’t the reason she went unconscious?” Loup nodded. 

“The Green Masques' influence on her mind was purged by the Doctor, but they still left a terrible wound on her. For one thing, something that she was used to having in her head is now gone, and secondly, what they did to her was incredibly damaging to her mind and to her psyche.”

“Then why did my grandfather leave her like that?” Susan asked, cutting into the conversation. Shareen’s eyes widened and she looked at Susan with a whole new understanding.

“Oh my god, the Doctor had a family?” Tears welled up in Shareen’s eyes. Susan nodded at her. 

“Of course he does. Why wouldn’t you think so?

“I never even met him, never got the chance.” Susan frowned, why had no Time Lord come to collect their TARDIS when he got stuck in the parallel world? The Time Lords monitored every corner of the universe.

Had her grandfather done something worse than steal a TARDIS? If Rose had the TARDIS then that meant that her grandfather was stuck without it. How terrible. Susan was surprised at the man she saw in Rose’s memories. He was quite different from her grandfather, yet she could see some aspects that remained. His evasiveness for one. The one thing that surprised her the most was the fact that he was clearly in love with her. Her grandfather? In love with a human? She wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t seen it herself. She loved him back as well. Some things were off about Rose as well, she looked into the Heart of the TARDIS. Something about her reminded her of a legend, a legend she had been told when she was only a Tot. She would have to ask her about it before she went back to her grandfather. 

“You wouldn’t want to meet a Time Lord anyway,” Susan said. “They’re terribly boring. Rules and regulations are the most important thing to them. Along with a strict policy of noninterference.” Susan’s nose crinkled up in displeasure. She noticed that Shareen was starting to sway. 

“The Doctor Rose met was preoccupied with a lot of other priorities. Rose was doing a better job than before at talking about her problems, but because she’s never had to deal with a psychic attack before she had no idea what the proper protocol to recuperate was. The only way for her to heal properly was for her to convince herself she was under attack.” Loup sighed and looked at her feet.

“How does that help?” Shareen asked, angrily. She rubbed her forehead with her pointer finger. 

“This way she can build up her own emergency defenses. Her mind is still an open wound. She needs to seal it so she can stop the bleeding.”

“It’s like when you get a cut and you need stitches, but you walk around with just a bandage. What my grandfather did was just bandaging the problem, she walked around with only that bandage and she was slowly bleeding out and she didn’t even know.” Loup nodded. 

“She passed out because her body couldn’t take it anymore.” Loup bit her lip and looked at Shareen imploringly. “She’s attacking herself, Shareen. You’re the only one who can convince her to stop the assault. It’s going too far, she even attacked me and I’m partially her.” Shareen stood up straighter and nodded. She bit the inside of her cheek and went to the white wall that separated them from Rose. 

“Rose! Let me through! I can help you!” Shareen hit the wall once. “I know you’re scared but it’s not real! I promise it’s not real! Madam Morgause isn’t here and she can’t hurt you!” Shareen hit the wall again. “Even if she was here I would protect you! Please just listen to me. We’ll face it together, but you’re hurting yourself! I told you after the Green Masques attacked us the first time I wasn’t going to watch you kill yourself! If you don’t let me in right now I’m going to leave the TARDIS and never speak to you again!” A crack formed in the wall, what Shareen said had struck a nerve. Shareen hit the wall a final time and it crumbled into dust. Rose was standing there with tears streaming down her face and Shareen rushed to meet her. Shareen pulled her into a hug. She rubbed her back as Rose cried into her shoulder. 

“I did this to myself?” She asked, weakly.

“Rose, your mind is still an open wound, bleeding out.”

“I can’t believe I just let my mind attack me like that,” she whispered. 

“Rose, it’s not your fault. We aren’t supposed to be able to do this, you’re just different now. We can’t help you and I’m so sorry about that.” Shareen groaned and Rose looked up at her, eyes widened. 

“What’s wrong?”

“Humans aren’t meant to handle this, I’m sorry, I have to take her out of your mind, she can’t take much more.” Rose narrowed her eyes at Susan, but she let go of Shareen. The “temperature” in Rose’s mind cooled and pricked at Susan’s mind. “Just stay here, I’m coming back for you.” She nodded and Susan touched Shareen’s face making her blink out from her mind. Susan didn’t realize she was leaving as well until she found herself outside of Rose’s mind. She was back in the pub with Shareen staring at her. The older woman with the brown hair rushed to Shareen’s side. 

“What happened? Is Rose alright? Is it the Masques?” Shareen shook her head and stood up. Her breath was shaky and she reached for something. 

“Water,” she rasped out. The half alien pulled a water bottle out of her bag. The older men looked at her strangely. She gave the water to Shareen who swallowed the water greedily. Everyone watched on in silence. Susan felt her grandfather approaching and she ran behind the bar. The blonde woman looked at her funny, but Susan put her finger over her lips. She got the notice and moved to cover her. “It wasn’t,” Shareen took a breath. “It wasn’t the Green Masques. Rose was actually wounded deeply by the Masques mentally and none of us noticed. She just couldn’t hide the damage anymore and her mind made her go unconscious so she could build defenses.”

“Oh my god!” The brown-haired woman put her hands to her face and looked down at Rose. 

“Rose wasn’t originally telepathic or whatever she is now, so she had no idea how much she was actually hurt by the Green Masques.” Shareen sighed, “And since she wasn’t originally telepathic she started attacking herself on accident.” The bell rang and the doors to the pub and Susan ducked farther down. 

“Have any of you seen a teenage girl running around?” It was Ian! Still, she could sense her grandfather was probably with him.

“She’s unfamiliar with the area so if you’ve seen her we’d really appreciate it.” This time it was Barbara. Was she right? Was her grandfather here? He hadn’t made his voice known to her yet. 

“No,” the blonde woman hiding her said. “We haven’t seen her. As you can see we are a bit preoccupied with something at the moment, so if you please,” she motioned for them to leave and she heard the door close. Susan stepped out of her hiding place a minute later. However, when she decided to make a reappearance to help Rose her grandfather spotted her from out the window. His eyes widened and she ran to close the door. She pushed on it so his frail body couldn’t enter. 

“Come back, Susan,” he told her. Susan narrowed her eyes at her grandfather. 

“No! They need me here! I’m not leaving! Can you feel her mind?” Susan pointed to Rose. “She’s going to die without me! I’m not leaving until I know she’s going to make it.” And she needed to know about what she was. This girl looked into the Heart of the TARDIS and survived. That was a feat she never thought would be possible. She looked to the half-alien and she understood what Susan was intending. She took Susan’s place holding the door and a worker came by with a key and locked it. Susan sighed and went back to Rose. She sat in front of her and pressed her hands to her temples. Susan was back in Rose’s mind. Rose was sitting on the floor of the white room she had been separated from her grandfather in and somehow got a hold of bricks. It was her mindspace, but she didn’t think Rose had a lot of control over it. Rose was making a small tower around her, enclosing herself in. 

“Rose?” 

* * *

After Shareen vanished from Rose’s head, she felt empty. Loup had tried to talk to Rose, but she waved her hands and sent her away. They could talk later, Rose didn’t want to see her just yet. She sank down to the floor and sat cross-legged. She needed something to do. Rose tried to steady herself mentally. A stack of bricks appeared in front of Rose and she reached for them, one by one. Quite quickly she sealed herself in a little circular wall. She felt the girl return before she saw her. Rose’s eyes widened when the dark-haired teen approached her. She seemed a little familiar, but she was certain she had never met her before. She looked a little shaken up.

“Who even are you?” Rose asked. “How do you know Shareen? How did you enter my mind?”

“I’m Susan, I saw your memories. I know you’ve traveled with my Grandfather.” Rose gasped and stood up quickly, knocking the bricks to the ground. She was a few inches taller than Susan. She looked down at her. 

“You’re Susan? The Doctor’s granddaughter?” She nodded. “He mentioned you,” Rose paused. “Last time I met him.”

“I saw, I’m sorry for what they did to you.” Susan shuddered slightly, letting it roll down to her fingers. “Just thinking about that kind of attack is terrifying. I was hoping I could help you if you wanted?” Rose smiled and gave Susan a slight nod. 

“You’re really ok with this? With me?” Susan nodded. “Ok, I accept, I could use your help.”

“If you hadn’t said yes I probably would’ve forced Grandfather to help you. Even if you don’t know him very well, I know you would’ve listened to him.” Rose flushed and looked away. 

“I suppose,” she mumbled. “Let’s get to work, how can you help me stop the mental wound?”

“I can only help you so much since I don’t know your mind, but I can give you instructions on how to get started. Whatever Loup is can do the rest when I’m done. First, we need to heal the wound. You didn’t notice anything different about when you got back? Like you were hypersensitive or something?” It dawned on Rose that the pain she had been ignoring was the warning that her body was suffering. 

“It felt like I was being rubbed against a cheese grater. I was angry so I just ignored it.” 

“When you get back to the TARDIS you need to go to the Zero Room and do the exercises I’m about to teach you.” Rose cocked her head. 

“What’s the Zero Room?” Susan frowned and furrowed her eyebrows. 

“The Zero Room is a place where you can heal. Absolutely no stimuli can get in. Time Lords use it when they have a difficult regeneration or they need to heal in a short period of time. It will do wonders for you, I’m sure.”

“Ok, Zero Room, what else?” Susan showed her some of what she needed to do and Rose led her to where she had the most pain. A green slash went right through her deepest regrets, which happened to be in the Doctor’s room. 

“Here’s the root of most of your pain. Now that you’ve found it, it shouldn’t be a big deal for you to get rid of.” 

“But how do I fix it?”

“How else do you heal a deep cut? Stitches.”

“But how do you stitch a mental cut?”

“Cancel out the effects, it’s taken shape on your regrets, so do the opposite.” Rose wracked her brain for her favorite memory. It wasn’t when everyone lived like she would’ve gone to before, that memory had still been slightly poisoned in her mind. Instead, it was the memory that came soon after it when she and the Doctor were dancing around the TARDIS to “In the Mood” and he had that goofy grin on his face. There were moments that she loved from the Doctor after his regeneration, but that moment had been special. He was smiling after seeing so much loss. When he dipped her! It just had to make Rose smile. Rose sent that memory in the direction of the cut and watched as it slowly receded into a thin line. Rose felt a little better and she smiled at Susan. 

“Is that it?” 

“Just make sure to go to the Zero Room when you get back to the TARDIS and you should be fine now. Loup will help you make proper shields.” Rose looked down at her feet.

“It must be weird, helping me out.” 

“Somewhat, I suppose, but Grandfather will clearly love you in the future and I’m glad that eventually, he’ll have other people he’s close to. I can’t stay with him forever, but I hope I don’t leave him anytime soon.” Rose didn’t know when Susan and the Doctor parted ways, but the pictures she had gotten glimpses of around the TARDIS didn’t portray her as any older than this.

“You’re a good kid, Susan, thank you for helping me. I would’ve been a goner without you. How did you even find me?”

“You have very flimsy shields, you were crying out for anyone who would listen. I just so happened to be listening.” But not the Doctor. Rose could tell Susan had not put in the final part of her sentence. Rose, before she could even think otherwise, wrapped Susan in a hug. She swung her around before finally setting her on the ground.

“Never change, you’ve got a lot of compassion.” Susan looked like she had a couple of things she wanted to say, but she was too afraid to. “You can ask me things, you know? You just saved me, I think I owe you that much.” Rose was still in a bit of disbelief that this was her. The Doctor’s Susan. His granddaughter. An actual blood relative of the man she loved. The Doctor’s age dawned on her. He really was a practically immortal alien. 

“You looked into the TARDIS’ heart,” she said like she had more to say. “And it reminded me of a legend I had heard when I was little.” Legend? Rose’s eyebrows lifted. She Who Holds the Future in Her Hands! She was supposed to seek out a Mrs. Campell in the 22nd century to find out the truth. 

“What legend?” Rose played dumb. She wanted to see where this was going.

“Back on Gallifrey, there was this old story that when all the Time Lords were gone She Who Holds the Future in Her Hands would emerge from Time itself and keep the Web of Time from falling apart. The Time Lords watch over the Web of Time and maintain it, but She Who Holds the Future in Her Hands is supposed to come afterward.” Rose blanched, she turned away from Susan.

“She Who Holds the Future in Her Hands? Is that like a title?” Susan nodded. 

“No one knows her real name and the Time Lords aren’t supposed to, you only remind me of her a little bit. Since the Time Lords are still around I don’t think you have to worry about it.” Rose hid her grimace. “I better leave you now, Grandfather is quite angry with me. You should be able to wake up now.” Susan disappeared and Rose felt alone in her mind again. 

“How do I do that?” Loup appeared behind Rose. Rose frowned in response. Loup extended her arms in front of her when Rose started inching forward. 

“Hold on a second, I know I lied and that I ran away, but it’s not my fault! It’s your mind!” Rose glared at Loup. Loup hugged Rose gently. “I told you, I only want your wellbeing.”

“How do I get out of here?” Loup rested her hand on Rose’s cheek. 

“Sweetie, it’s simple. Open your eyes.” Rose closed her eyes hard at the suggestion and forced them open. She shot up with a gasp as she became aware of the fact that she was no longer in her mind, but out in the world. She was out on a cot and Shareen was right at her side. Susan was at the door, about to see the younger Doctor. He looked at her with absolutely no recognition, not that she expected him to. He was old and short with white hair. She would have to find out which incarnation he was later. Susan looked back at Rose and smiled. Shareen wrapped Rose up in a hug when Rose sat up. The grating against her senses was back, but it was much less bothersome now. 

“I’m so glad you’re ok!” Rose nodded, she felt better, but ok really didn’t cover it. She wanted to get to the Zero Room as soon as possible. Shareen squeezed Rose tight until she gasped for breath. 

“Shareen, I need to breathe!” She choked. Shareen’s hands flew from Rose’s body and she stood up. 

“I’m sorry, I was just so worried about you.” The Doctor was watching her like a hawk, but as soon as Susan left the pub his gaze let up and they went back to wherever they were supposed to go. Back to the TARDIS, Rose presumed. Hopefully, they wouldn’t wander into theirs. Shareen helped Rose up and she looked around to everyone. 

“I’m sorry for what happened, I didn’t mean to disturb your night. I had fun before,” Rose motioned to her forehead, “this happened. I have to get back to the TARDIS as soon as possible, so goodnight everyone.” Lucy, who had been watching silently, opened the door for Rose and Shareen as they all made their way back to the TARDIS. Rose was feeling a little weak, so Shareen and Lucy held her up as they walked.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Lucy asked, quietly, like she wasn’t sure if she was supposed to say it. Rose had been apprehensive about talking about anything that affected her recently. Rose sighed and gave a look that could be interpreted as though she meant both. 

“Yeah, but not just yet. I need to find the Zero Room in the TARDIS so I can heal as soon as possible.” 

Lucy bit her lip and looked at the ground. Rose knew that look. Shareen must’ve known it too because she was the one who spoke up next.

“You know something,” Shareen said to the black-haired young woman. “We’ve been in close proximity to each other for the past 5 months, don’t think we don’t know whenever your foreknowledge comes into play.” 

Lucy blushed.  “I just know something’s coming. Something soon. I wasn’t allowed to know anything about it as a child.” A poster flew across the crosswalk in front of them. It was a political advert for Harold Saxon. Rose rolled her eyes. 

“That’s one thing I don’t miss about living in the UK, the politics.” Shareen agreed, Rose continued on her tirade. “This Saxon guy is so popular and he never even really says anything, just a fat load of nothing disguised as eloquence.” 

“We’re probably going to be stuck with him until the next set of general elections.”

“Or he could turn out to be shit and get a vote of no confidence,” Lucy chimed in. They finally found the TARDIS and Martha opened the doors before they could even knock.

“Thank god you’re ok! I was so worried, I’ve been watching the scanner as soon as I got back from my Mum’s.”

“Yeah, I just need to find this thing called the Zero Room.” Rose entered the TARDIS and sighed in relief when even more outside electrical signals were blocked. The TARDIS hummed gently in her mind. Her connection to the TARDIS had felt a little raw like something was tugging on it, ever since she got back from Sarah Jane’s, but Rose was too blind to notice what was really going on. Rose followed her instincts and found a room in the “back” of the ship that fit Susan’s description of the room. As soon as the door closed behind her, all the pain she had been feeling washed off of her like grains of sands after a long day at the beach. Suddenly, Rose found herself floating off the ground. She started to dissect the things she had been told that day. She Who Holds the Future in Her Hands was the one keeping Time from falling apart. Rose had to admit that’s what it felt like she was doing. 

“It is.” Rose nearly jumped in shock. It was Loup, she was sitting right in front of Rose, cross-legged. “You are She Who Holds the Future in Her Hands after all.”

“How are you here?”

“Your telepathic abilities are strengthened here, but nothing outside can get in. That’s why the TARDIS isn’t talking to you.” Rose nodded with a sharp inhale of her nose. It dawned on her that Loup came from Rose herself. She would be able to talk to her more. 

“Why did I only become She Who Holds the Future in Her Hands now? Why not when I first became Bad Wolf?”

“The Doctor was still around then, She Who Holds the Future in Her Hands only needs to exist when there are no Time Lords to keep the Web of Time intact.”

“But what about my Time Shrapnel?” Rose asked. Loup flattened her lips and looked at Rose like she was missing something obvious. 

“Rose, I am your Time Shrapnel.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I am insinuating Rose is bisexual, though it won't come up for a few more chapters. 
> 
> Also hello First Doctor. Welcome to the show. 
> 
> Lol, more original ideas on the way, but they aren't connected to the Green Masques any more. No more Green Masques for a while. 
> 
> However, I can tell you I've been missing our Doctor, I wonder what he's up to? And what are Aarti and Erika up to as well? 
> 
> Hmmmm... anyway, how's everybody been, I'm so tired, but feeling ok. I spent like two hours on the phone with Apple on Saturday because one of my albums basically went missing and I wanted to listen to Taylor Swift. (Hey! I paid money for it, I should get my money's worth!) Also put my favorite quote on the home screen. it's the one about Rose the Doctor says in the Satan PIt <3
> 
> I'm so tired, so my impulse control is squat, so lemme say this before I regret it. Some of you might be afraid because of RBG's passing. So am I, but this just means we have to fight twice as hard. May her memory be for a blessing.


	22. A Glimpse in the Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big announcement at the end of the chapter.

“What?” Rose asked. Rose thought she was part Time part TARDIS part Rose. What? What was going on? 

“I am your Time Shrapnel personified.” Rose gaped. “That’s where the part Time comes in.”

“But, huh?! How?”

Loup smiled. “Bad Wolf and the TARDIS assisted in making me when the Doctor took the Time Vortex out of you. Granted it went a little wrong, but the intent was clear. I exist so you can become She Who Holds the Future in Her Hands.”

“But the Doctor has Time Shrapnel?”

Loup nodded. “It’s a connection between you and him.”

“If you only want my wellbeing then why is the Time Shrapnel harming me?” 

Loup frowned and avoided eye contact with Rose. “I want you safe, but Time Shrapnel is dangerous, we just are. I’m bits and pieces of Time itself in your brain and since the fusion went wrong it’s going to affect you. I’m sorry it has to be this way.” Loup disappeared. Rose was left alone to take in the information. She was supposed to maintain the Web of Time. She only had the slightest idea of what it was, but she got the gist. It was possibly the largest responsibility in the world, and she certainly didn’t want it. She liked the freedom of traveling around, but now she was under Time’s command. A knock came at the door. 

“Come in!” Rose called. The door opened and Shareen entered the Zero Room with blankets and a couple of pillows. She was surprised to see her. Shareen had been avoiding her these past couple of months. She liked to sit in her room and process the adventures before she talked to anyone else. 

“Mind if I join you?” Shareen shut the door behind her and set the blankets on the floor. The lights in the Zero Room were dim, but Rose could still see Shareen.

“What brings you here?” Rose asked.

Shareen looked up at Rose. “The TARDIS put these blankets on my bed, I figured that meant I should go check up on you.” A blanket floated up to Rose. She wrapped it around her arms and took a deep satisfying breath. “I saw a lot in your mind, Rose,” she said plainly. Her eyes were wide and strong. “I want you to tell me everything. Don’t hide or hold back.” Rose nodded and started from the beginning.

* * *

The Doctor, as much as he loved Tony, hated Pete’s World. It was the worst! Aarti and Malcolm were cool, but Aarti now reminded him of Rose. Mickey and Jake were fine (they certainly weren’t awful), but Mickey reminded him of Rose. As much as Tony reminded him of Rose, however, he couldn’t bring himself to distance himself from the kid. He was precious. A head full of thick strawberry blond hair and brown eyes so much like Rose. The Doctor took a deep breath and exited his room. It was small and only had a bed and a desk in it. He was still a Time Lord, after all, he didn’t need as much sleep as Humans did. He spent most of his time working these days. More stars were going out and he could tell the walls were getting thinner. Then there were the hidden memories that had been resurfacing. Memories of his past incarnations meeting Rose. The regeneration before last had a whole adventure with her. The Green Masques had gone into her mind. Poor Rose, he had always hoped she would never have to experience anything like. Cassandra had been bad enough, but the Masques had messed around with her thoughts and emotions. If only his younger self hadn’t swanned off. He knew it was necessary, but he wished he hadn’t done it. If only he could go back and talk to his past self and give him an earful. The Doctor pulled on his stained lab coat and walked down to the laboratory. It was dark out and the Doctor sighed in relief. No one would be up to bother him. He gasped as he thought of Rose, with all that power bursting from her body. 

Things were changing within her and he couldn’t help her. He clearly missed some of the Vortex when he was taking it out of her. Hence the Time Shrapnel in both of their heads, but to have her change so much that for a moment she was a goddess of Time, again? He would have had to tell Jackie soon, but not now. He needed to get back to Rose as soon as possible so he could run as many tests as he could and reverse any of the damage caused to her body. Then there was the matter of the Time Shrapnel linking them. Jackie did know about that. The Doctor snorted, he got it from her, but as much as sometimes he hated the pain he was grateful for the insight into how Rose was doing without him. His hearts quickened thinking about how proud he was of her.

He always checked the stars first. They were going out after all. So far it was only a few stars, but enough to be noticeable. The Doctor peered into his telescope and scanned the sky. That was his first step. He didn’t see anything at first, but his eyes were still adjusting. The Doctor hated looking up at the sky sometimes, it wasn’t the sky he was so used to looking at. Made him depressed on the worst days and annoyed on the best of ‘em. The Doctor looked at the star maps and went to the most famous constellations. It was a good way to see what was missing. Slowly he went constellation by constellation and checked every star. And by every star, he meant every star. Well, he meant every star, but halfway he got a call on his mobile. The Doctor sent the call straight to voicemail, everyone knew he wasn’t to be bothered when he was working on the stars. It took the utmost precision and no one else wanted to do it. His mobile buzzed again. The Doctor sighed and looked at his flip phone. It was Malcolm. He put his phone on speaker and answered. 

“Malcolm, I’m working,” he said, flippant. 

_ “Good!”  _ He cheered, the Doctor narrowed his eyes and looked at his phone.  _ “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about! Have you checked the atmospheric readings yet?” _ The Doctor shook his head, but remembered Malcolm couldn’t see him. 

“No, I was checking the stars when you called me. Haven’t gotten there yet.”

_ “Check them! Something strange is going on in Norway,” _ the Doctor’s didn’t see any significance, but he remembered there was a location tag on the call from Rose. The signal was being sent from Norway. 

“Norway?” He questioned.

_ “Yes! At a specific point in Norway, the atmosphere is thinning. I looked for any reason, but it’s all normal there.” _

“Where in Norway?” The Doctor asked, reaching for the box containing the files on Northern Europe.

_ “It’s called Dårlig Ulv Stranden.”  _ The Doctor's eyes widened and he stood up to the phone. 

“Dalek?” 

_ “No, Dahr-lig,” _ he said, pronouncing the word slower.  _ “It translates to Bad Wolf Bay.” _ the Doctor stumbled back in shock, sending the star maps on the desk flying everywhere. Flashes of Rose appeared in his head. Her eyes, inhuman and godlike, but filled with so much love. He hadn’t realized at the time that it was romantic love for him. He didn’t think she could love his daft old face, but as he looked back on what should’ve been one of the worst days of his life (was still a bad day, but not the worst) he realized he was wrong. He had loved her since the beginning. Well, not the beginning, but close to it. When he brought her home a year late and they were in Downing Street, when she told him he could blow her up. In that moment he fell head over heels. _ “Doctor?” _

“Sorry, sorry, Bad Wolf Bay?”

_ “It’s a small bay outside 50 miles out of Bergen. The atmosphere is thinner, by just a bit, but nowhere else shows the same level of atmospheric decay.” _ The Doctor picked up some papers off the ground and shoved them to the corner of his desk. 

“And there’s no thinning anywhere else?” 

_ “No, no where in the world, trust me I’ve checked.” _ The Doctor smiled, when Malcolm was serious, he was serious. He was a thorough man, something the Doctor appreciated. 

“I believe you. If the thinning increases then we should make a visit.”

_ “We weren’t looking there, but I’ve looked at some of the past readings and there’s no pattern for when it thins. I’ve run it through several programs to find some, but nothing came up.”  _ The Doctor frantically looked through the readings for Bad Wolf Bay. There were time stamps and everything. The Doctor’s eyes widened. The thinning occurred at the same time as his Time Shrapnel headaches. The Doctor tried to steady himself when he started shaking. Correlation didn’t always equal causation, but combined with the words Bad Wolf it had to be the case. It just had to.  _ “Doctor?”  _ The Doctor blinked and snapped to attention. 

“Sorry, I was just thinking. I’ll take a closer look at this later. I gotta go, thanks for alerting me. There’s something to this, there’s something there. I’m sure of it.” The Doctor shut his phone and doubled down on his work. Bad Wolf had saved him (killed him too, but still), and she saw all of Time and Space, so maybe she laid out a plan for him to get back to Rose. Still, he couldn’t leave in good faith until he knew why the stars were going out. Little Lucy Gupta would be born any day now and the Doctor quite liked her parents. Erika was smart even if she didn’t actively enjoy science or math, she went to university for music theory and Aarti was a brilliant chemist. Oh, he hoped while they were in this universe Tiny Tony and Little Lucy would be friends. Jackie was still firmly on the idea that they would be returning to Rose, all of them, not just the Doctor. She once told Pete that if he opposed the idea she would take Tony and run. The Doctor gave a small smile. Pete had gained something out of being a dad, definitely. He was fierce and protective of his son. Which Jackie pointed out was how she felt about Rose. If the thought of being separated from his son hurt that bad, then what was it actually like to lose a daughter? Pete didn’t talk badly about going back to Rose ever again. Pete and Jackie were happy, but there would always be that disconnect, Rose wasn’t his daughter and he didn’t think of her as his. The Doctor went back into the mansion for some breakfast. His mobile started to buzz again. It was Aarti. He debated on whether or not to send the call to voicemail, but decided against it. 

_ “Doctor!” _

“What’s wrong?” He asked, suddenly startled by her tone. “Do you need help? Is someone in your house?” He could hear a tremble in her voice. 

_ “No, no, just get your butt to the hospital,” _ she said, relief flooding her voice. “ _ Erika’s giving birth.” _ The Doctor dropped his phone on the ground and ran as quick as he could to the hospital, stained lab coat, and all.  _ “Doctor?” _

* * *

The Doctor was one of the last people there. All of Erika’s family had made it, and a few of Aarti’s more progressive family members decided to show up. Rights for LGBTQ+ people were about ten years ahead of the universe he came from in some areas, like same-sex marriage and adoption, but the culture still left a little more to be desired. Aarti came from a more conservative Indian family as well, so she still had some struggles of her own. Aarti opened the door and smiled at everyone who showed up. She had bags under her eyes, hair falling out of its ponytail, and smudged eyeliner, but she never looked happier. Right behind the Doctor was Aarti’s father. Her eyes widened when she saw him. The Doctor stepped out of the way and her father came forward.

“Papa,” she said, with tears in her eyes. He held out his hands and Aarti took them happily. “Is  _ Dadi _ coming?” The Doctor recognized the word as “father’s mother” in Hindi. Aarti’s father shook her head and Aarti sighed, her posture drooping for a second, before lightening quickly. “Oh well, who needs her, my daughter’s about to be born!” Everyone cheered. 

“Aarti!” Erika screamed from inside the room. Aarti’s eyes widened. 

“Gotta go, thank you all so much for coming!” Erika’s sister, Hanna, recognized the Doctor and came over to him. 

“Thank you for being so supportive of my sister,” she told him. “Before Aarti and Erika moved here they were practically chased out of town and Aarti was blacklisted from nearly every big company that was previously willing to hire her. Your job offer was a lifesaver.” She reached over to hug him briefly. 

“I’m very grateful to them. I was lost when I first moved here, but working with Aarti and Malcolm to a common goal has kept me from falling apart completely. And Erika and Aarti remind me that not all love ends in tragedy.” The Doctor’s eyes narrowed.  “Don’t tell either of them that I said that, I don’t want them to get ideas,” he said, half-joking. 

“She won’t tell them, but I will.” The Doctor turned around. It was Hanna’s twin brother Henri. Before the Doctor could respond Aarti’s father came and introduced himself to him. 

“So you’re the famous Doctor,” he said with a hearty laugh. His accent indicated that he came directly from India and not born from Indians in Kenya or Uganda. He shook the Doctor’s hand. 

“I am, and you’re Dr. Gupta’s father?” He nodded. 

“Also Dr. Gupta.” He took his hand off of the Doctor’s and pressed it to his shoulder. He was around a few inches shorter than the Doctor and his hair was thinning around the top of his head. “She only ever calls you The Doctor, so tell me, what are you a doctor of?” The Doctor without thinking said.

“Everything.” Dr. Gupta Senior laughed again.

“How can you be a Doctor of everything? You look 35 at most!” The Doctor shrugged and felt the tiniest bit of a blush burn his ears. He pulled on one of them when he realized what situation this was about to become. Dr. Gupta Senior called some of Aarti’s other family members over. “We are also doctors,” he said, “This man proclaims himself a doctor of everything, so ask him your questions, let’s see for ourselves.” The Doctor’s eyes widened and he hoped the baby would come sooner so he could get out of this situation. He remembered why he didn’t do families. This was going to be a long day. 

And after what felt like forever and what felt like 100s of questions, they got the good news. Lucy Aalto-Gupta was born to Erika Aalto and Aarti Gupta.

* * *

The next day after Rose had recovered some of the pieces in her head she and Shareen went to go get breakfast, well Shareen went to get breakfast, Rose went to get water. Rose sighed as she looked to the food Shareen pulled out from the cabinets. Her mouth watered, but the thought of ingesting the food sent a shiver down her spine. Shareen was making toast with jam. They did what they wanted in comfortable silence. Shareen and Rose had come to an understanding. Rose pulled out a water bottle and started to drink. Lucy came in soon after. 

“How’re you feeling, Rose?” She asked. Rose shrugged and drank more water from her bottle. She felt particles falling down her throat, maybe this was actually lemonade or something. Lucy’s eyes went to the bottle. “Uh, Rose, that’s my saltwater.” Rose choked and spat out what she was drinking immediately. She started to cough. Shareen’s eyes widened and giggles flew from her mouth. Rose sat down the water on the counter and wiped the remaining liquid from her mouth.

“Lucy! I’m so sorry!” Lucy joined in on the laughing. She threw her head back and grabbed her stomach. 

“It’s fine,” she said finally, after getting her laughter under control. “I’ll just wash it.” She took the bottle from the counter and dumped the water down the sink after she removed the top. Shareen’s giggles had gotten quieter but hadn’t ceased. Rose sent a glare at her best friend.

“It’s not that funny,” Rose said, rolling her eyes. Shareen snorted. 

“But you admit it?” Shareen’s giggle fit increased and she had to sit down. Rose smiled at her. 

“You’re ridiculous.”

“But you’re smiling!” The door opened and Martha came in. 

“What’s the commotion about?” She asked, taking a seat next to Shareen. They all looked at her with a knowing glance. “What?” They all started giggling now. Even Rose, and finally Martha joined in even though she didn’t know why. Rose sighed in contentment, they were going to be just fine.

* * *

Rose and the rest of the TARDIS team were chilling Martha’s room, mostly because it was the cleanest and had the biggest bed. Lucy’s was clean, but it had a small bed. Rose’s was moderate on both accounts. Shareen’s? Well, Shareen’s room was another problem entirely and none of them wanted to get into it. Literally, not even the TARDIS wanted to mess with Shareen’s room. Rose didn’t think her best friend from childhood would get into a fight with her telepathic time machine, but nothing in Rose’s life was normal. Rose pulled out her laptop and started to surf the net. Rose had her head at the end of the bed with Shareen next to her, Lucy was on the floor leaning against the bed, and Martha was sitting in a comfy chair. 

“I still can’t get over the technology in the future!” She said. “And streaming! It’s so convenient!” Lucy rolled her eyes. 

“Yeah, but it’s becoming just like cable when I’m from. Every company wants a piece of the streaming pie. I only had a couple when I was living in the 2020s. You guys barely even use YouTube here.”

“It’s kind of weird that people literally make careers out of talking to cameras,” Martha said. “Like anyone can do that. There’s no finesse or talent involved.” Lucy took great offense to Martha’s remarks and pushed herself in between Rose and Shareen. Her fingers flew to the keyboard of Rose’s laptop and the webpage flickered off for a second and came back on to a futuristic version. 

“Go ahead, it’s not like I was doing something,” Rose said, bitingly. Lucy’s elbow accidentally found itself in Shareen’s side. She yelped. 

“Lucy!”

“You sat on me before Glacies!”

“Your elbow is pointy!” 

“And you  _ sat on me! _ ” Shareen rolled her eyes and scooched to the side. Lucy pulled up YouTube and Rose peered over her shoulder and looked at her recommendations. Girl in red? Rose didn’t recognize the artist. Then there were a couple of science experiment videos. When Lucy didn’t find what she was looking for she went to the search bar. Erika Aalto. A blonde girl around 18 came up. “This is my friend Erika, from school. Well, we were friends before I made the final move to this time period.” Rose stiffened for just a second before she let herself relax. “She started making true crime videos when we were like 17, she needed the money to pay for things while she was at music school in Scotland.” She clicked on a video that was about the Japanese cult, Aum Shinrikyo. 

“Like unsolved mysteries?” Shareen asked. Lucy shrugged. 

“Depends, she’s part of a whole subgenre of pretty girls talking about crime.” Rose looked at the details of the video. She had 2 million views! That number was unfathomable to Rose. How could that many people sit down and watch a video of a (admittedly very pretty girl) talking about cults. Rose raised her eyebrows. Were people in the future dumb or was there something she was missing?

“So she gets 2 million views just for talking to a camera?” Rose asked. Lucy looked at Rose like she was being personally attacking her. 

“It’s intricate! She edits the videos herself! Since the videos are a little,” Lucy shuddered. “Gory, she makes her money off of sponsorships.” Rose snorted. 

“Lucy, you’ve literally faced down an evolutionary monster with a scorpion's tail, and true crime makes you shudder?” Lucy blushed and twirled some of her dark hair around her finger. 

“We all have our strengths and weaknesses.” Lucy sighed and pulled out her wallet from her back pocket. She pulled out a picture of the two of them. It looked like it was ripped out of a phone booth photo strip. They were caught mid-laugh. Rose’s heart nearly melted into wax. They looked so happy. Lucy especially looked happier than Rose had ever seen her, even when they were on their first adventure in the TARDIS. “I told her almost everything. I was so tired,” Lucy’s voice broke. “I hated moving through time, especially at this time. She was there for me when I was at my lowest. She had just moved to England from Scotland, so we both didn’t know anyone. We sort of attached to each other’s hips. Where I went, she went and where she went I went. Even though we only knew each other for two years, I still think about her all the time.” Instinctively Rose’s hand went to Lucy’s back and she started rubbing her hand up and down. She surprised herself by the certainty of her actions. Shareen pursed her looks and clicked play. A little song played at the beginning of the video and a short clip of the camera falling on the ground and she said a short word in Finnish. 

“Why didn’t it translate?” Shareen asked. Rose shrugged. 

“It was probably a swear,” Rose replied. 

“Why didn’t she just not include it?” Shareen asked Lucy. Lucy frowned. 

“It was for comedic purposes!” Then the scene started over. Lucy’s eyes went right to Erika. She had blonde hair, blue eyes that angled slightly upwards, and pink cheeks. She had her makeup done that looked very different from what Rose was used to. 

“Hi everyone, today we’re going to be discussing the Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo. It’s a pretty crazy tale, so I suggest getting your popcorn now because when this story picks up it does not stop until the end.” She had a Scottish accent with a hint of Finnish peaking through. Rose and the gang watched the video the whole way through and in the end, Shareen relented a little. Just a little though.

“It’s not as good as some of the true-crime specials on TV, but at least she could tell a competent story.”

“Yeah, your friend Erika’s got a knack for it,” Martha said. 

“She wants to do West End, so she’s pretty good at acting.” Lucy clicked on her channel and a new video popped up. It was posted 26 seconds ago. Her eyes widened. “I wonder if she’ll heart my comment!” Then she looked at the title. Whatever Happened To Rose Tyler?

“What the hell?” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, how have you guys been? To be honest, I'm not great. Life has been kind of mean recently and I've been doing a lot of thinking on this story. It just hasn't been very fun for me to write for the past couple weeks. 
> 
> I still love the idea and I might revisit it later, but not now. I think SWHTFIHH was a very good learning experience for me and has taught me a lot about myself. It really has. 
> 
> I think I might go on hiatus again in the next couple of weeks, but I'm not entirely sure yet. Rest assured however that I will finish this story. If nothing else I will finish this story and give it an actual ending. No cliff hangers or anything like that. I had plans for three sequels after this, so I'm a bit bummed about maybe not getting to write them. 
> 
> I know this probably isn't the news you were expecting and I am sorry about that, but I have to focus on what's best for me. 
> 
> I'm still going to be writing fanfiction! So if you like my work, don't worry, I'm not leaving Doctor/Rose fanfiction. And I guarantee 100 percent that this story will get finished. 
> 
> Anyway, give me your feedback! I love to hear it. (also the scene where the TARDIS team is goofing around takes place a few months after the first scene in the chapter)


	23. What Happened to Rose Tyler?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We meet the Erika in our universe.

Rose sucked in a breath and turned to Lucy with wide eyes. She was stammering trying to find the words, but she was at a loss. Martha rushed onto the bed, taking up whatever space was left. 

“You’re a YouTube video?” Martha asked in shock. Rose’s mouth went dry and her tongue felt heavy in her throat. She tried to think of a proper response, but the words died on the way from her brain to her mouth. 

“Click it! Click it!”

“No!” Rose shouted. She threw her body on the laptop, slamming it shut. “You can’t!” She squeaked. Shareen fell off the bed from the sudden movement.

“Hey!” She exclaimed from the carpeted floor. “What gives?!”

“If we see something that hasn’t happened yet that we don’t like then it has to happen! Remember?” Lucy nodded and averted her gaze from Rose’s. Shareen shot up from the floor, rubbing her bum. 

“But you’re a YouTube video! In the future! Can’t at least one of us watch it?” Rose looked to her hands, trying to think.

“What year did this come out?” Rose asked Lucy. Lucy’s eyes squinted and she looked at the publication date. 

“Just a month or so after I left.”

“So you should know everything about me for that year, right?” Lucy nodded. “So you should be able to watch the video, then.” 

“Or,” Martha said. “Since it’s only been a few seconds since it was posted, we can go there and ask her to take it down?”

“Why would we do that?” Lucy asked. 

“If she’s in the future what if someone recognizes her from that video and then she can’t get any work done, or what if Rose’s enemies in the future come and find Erika for that video. It’s dangerous.” Martha made her point. Rose nodded in agreement. 

“She’s right, it’s way too dangerous for her to keep that video up.”

“Let me download it first,” Lucy put her hands up frantically. That way later after she takes it down we can see if she was ever in any actual danger. Rose scanned Lucy’s face. It seemed important to her. 

“Ok, you can download it or whatever you need to do, but do it quickly. The sooner we get it to take it down then less she’ll be in danger.” Rose handed Lucy the laptop and she saved the video. 

“Saved it after a minute. Which means we have to go now, so she can delete the video.” Rose ran to the console room and beckoned Lucy to follow. 

“Do you remember her address? And the year?”

“The video was posted on the 6th of November 2019.” She helped Rose by inputting the address and then they were off to Erika’s house.

* * *

Erika’s hands shook as she went to her brother’s room. If only she had Lucy to help her out. She had always been so supportive of her dreams. Her parents were great, but they wanted her to  _ teach _ music, not sing in West End musicals. She didn’t understand why she had to move away. She understood moving, she moved countries multiple times, but the fact that they couldn’t even talk to each other anymore? That was so suspicious. However, Lucy talked about this woman who would’ve been considered an aunt, Rose Tyler, a lot. Rose this and Rose that, but Erika looked up Rose Tyler. She died in 2007! Well, she was labeled as dead in the Battle of Canary Wharf for six months until Christmas. This video had to reach Lucy. She subscribed to her YouTube channel after all. The problem was, she needed help. She wanted to make this video a good one. That way Lucy could see it. If she had her siblings to help her then it would work. Erika opened the door and smiled at her brother Henri. He was working on an essay for school. 

“Get out Erika!” He yelled with a thicker Scottish accent than Erika’s when he saw her. Erika’s nose scrunched up and she walked over to him. “I’m working on something for school, I can’t help you.” 

“But  _ Harri!” _ She used his pet name. He sighed and stretched his hands out. He connected his hands and made them crack. 

“Fine, make your pitch, but if it takes too long then I am going to get Hanna.” Erika rolled her eyes. 

“You know I’m Hanna’s favorite,” she said with a raise of the eyebrows. 

“Well, I’m her twin, so she owes me.”

“Owes you what?” Hanna said, popping her head in Henri’s room. Henri pushed long light brown hair out of his face. It was more typical for Finnish young men to have longer hair than Scottish men to have longer hair. His hair went down to his shoulder. It was the same length as Hanna’s, but she looked far more feminine than Henri. 

“You owe me!” Henri said, jokingly. Hanna’s face scrunched up in a similar manner to Erika’s. She walked in and plopped her body on Henri’s bed. 

“Owe you for what?” She asked. Henri snorted and crossed his arms. 

“You owe me because I let you out first.” Erika and Hanna gaped at the same time. 

“What do you mean?” She slammed her hand on her forehead. “Do you mean you let me be born first?” Henri nodded sharply. Erika’s eyes widened.

“I let you be born first, therefore you owe me.”

“I don’t owe you for anything!” Erika stamped her foot on the ground. 

“Guys, as much as this is hilarious, I need a favor.” Hanna and Henri looked at Erika, they had forgotten she was there. 

“What do you need?” Hanna asked. Erika tapped her fingers on her bicep. She took a deep breath. 

“Will you help me make a YouTube video?” Hanna snorted. 

“I love you kid, but YouTube is your thing, not ours.” Henri agreed. 

“Yeah, I think it’s kind of lame anyway.”

“But Harri! Hannele!” 

“Don’t Hannele me!” Hanna looked at Erika patronizingly. 

“It’s not just a YouTube video!” Henri raised his eyebrows, signaling her to elaborate. “I miss Lucy.” Hanna stood up and wrapped Erika up in a hug. 

“I know you miss her, but she’s gone, you don’t even know where she moved to.”

“It’s suspicious Hanna! She gave me two days notice and then she disappeared into thin air!”

“But you can’t do anything about it,” Henri said gently. More gentle than Erika was used to. 

“If I make a YouTube video about Rose Tyler then she’ll watch it! I know she will!” Hanna cocked her head to the side. 

“Rose Tyler? I thought you said she died like 13 years ago.”

“She did, but she was Lucy’s aunt! If I make the video then she has to watch it.” Hanna let go of Erika and looked back to her brother. He stood up. 

“So this isn’t about silly YouTube money? This is about Lucy?” Erika nodded. 

“Please, I need to know the truth. She’s not just my best friend.” Henri gave Erika a sad smile. 

“I know.” And so, Erika Aalto sat in front of the camera with her brother manning it and her sister to the side. Then she started to weave a tale as best as she could about the life and times of Rose Tyler.

“Rose Marion Tyler was born April 27th, 1986, and was raised by a single mother for most of her life. Her father died when she was only six months old in a car accident. She lived in the Powell Estate. They struggled to get by, but she had a lot of love in her life. Her mother Jackie had Rose very young, so Rose and Jackie really had each other. She had a couple of really close friends growing up, Shareen and Mickey. She was a really bright girl for her age and had a big heart. However, when she was 16 she left school for a man named Jimmy Stone. Some would say when this was when her life took a turn for the worse. He was a musician and had a band. She worked to support them both. He stole her things to sell for money when his band stopped getting gigs. She ended up in debt and he ended up in jail. She moved back in with her mother in the Powell Estates after that. 

“Then Rose Tyler found a job at Henrik’s department store. They paid 6 pounds an hour and it meant Rose got out of the house. She even got a new boyfriend, her old friend Mickey. Things were looking up for Rose. However, as much as she loved her mother she was suffocating her. Rose always had this adventurous spirit. She wanted to do more with her life and travel all over. That may have been the reason she left school for Jimmy Stone. Then one day, in 2005, Henrik’s blew up. Rose had just gotten out of the building before it blew up and as much as she was happy to be alive, she also was out of a job, which she desperately needed. The next day, there was a terrorist attack in London that led to the deaths of 60 people. That’s what the news said at least, video footage doesn’t exactly match up with the news. 

“Eyewitness accounts say window shop dummies came alive and started killing people. Rose’s mother Jackie was out that night as well, but just before she would be killed, the killing stopped. Let’s backtrack to what Rose was doing that day. A man had come to the Tyler residence in London to talk about the explosion at Henrik’s, but no one knew who he really was. He didn’t give any name. He and Rose ended up talking outside the estate and he left. Whatever he said to Rose made her curious about him. He wasn’t actually with Henrik’s or the police, so who was he? Rose did some digging about the man according to her boyfriend at the time. He drove her to a man called Clive’s house. This man, Clive, actually passed away in the terrorist attack later that night. He was a conspiracy theorist, but Rose had told Mickey that he was going to help her out in getting compensation.”

“After talking with the man, she and Mickey went out to get pizza, but according to some accounts, Mickey went crazy and started attacking people in the restaurant. But according to others, he was kidnapped by the terrorists, so no one knows the real truth. Mickey was a really sweet guy so I don’t think he was the one in the restaurant. A man protected Rose and they ran off. Then later, when Mickey saw Rose, she said. “Exactly” to him and ran away. She didn’t come home. There was no trace of her anywhere. Everyone thought Mickey killed her, but again, Mickey wouldn’t hurt a fly. You’d think her disappearance would be national news, but she lived on a council estate, to the police it wasn’t a priority. Even though she was white and pretty. Then a year later on the dot she returned to London wearing the exact same clothes. Like she looked the same, her hair was the same length. She was a bottle blonde, so the fact that her hair showed no evidence of growth was strange. Apparently she went off with the man she met that day, traveling around the world.

“She continued to travel around this man for two more years until Canary Wharf, when she, her mother, and Mickey, were listened among the dead, but then six months later, her name was taken off the list. Why would that happen? How? That’s what I’d like to talk about.” Erika finished recording the video with her sister cutting it at the parts she knew. Then she immediately went to edit it and then a day later, only a minute after she uploaded it; a knock came at the door. Erika’s eyes widened like saucers and she let the door swing open. 

“Hi Erika,” said the face Erika never thought she’d see again. 

“Lucy?”

* * *

Rose didn’t expect the tears to start as soon as she saw Lucy. She thought it would be a little while longer. However, she was wrong. The waterworks started within a second of her seeing her. She jumped on her. Like she launched herself at Lucy like a rocket. Lucy nearly fell to the ground. 

“I hate to break up the touching reunion, but we need that video taken down now,” Shareen said, crossing her arms. Erika’s eyes shot up from Lucy’s body. She took herself off of Lucy and whipped out her phone. 

“Of course! I only made the video so you would see it! But you actually came!” Her eyes flickered to Rose. “I can’t believe you’re alive. That’s just insane.” She opened the YouTube app and as soon as she could, she took down the video. It only had around 1,000 views, so not as bad as it could’ve been and no one would’ve gotten the chance to watch the whole video. Lucy cocked her head to the side. 

“You made the video for me?” Erika nodded vigorously. 

“You barely gave me any warning that you were leaving.” She narrowed her eyes at Lucy, finally realizing something was off about her friend. “You look older, but it’s only been two months?” Lucy shook her head. 

“Not for me, Erika. It’s been 8 years on my end.” Erika stumbled backward onto her porch. She began to stammer and Rose looked down at the confused girl, only slightly younger than her when she found out about time travel. 

“Let’s go inside,” Rose said, finally speaking. Erika nodded and they entered her house. 

“Hanna! Henri!” She pronounced them like Ha-na and Hehn-ree. The Finnish way. “I’ve got guests over! Don’t disturb me.” She opened a green door on the side of the hallway. They entered what seemed to be Erika’s room. It had a large bed in the corner by the window. It faced the back of the house. She had a fluffy pink rug and a flag on her wall. A flag with the colors pink, purple, and blue. Was that a bisexual flag? Rose wasn’t sure. Erika sat on the bed. Rose stood by the door with Shareen. Martha sat next to the side table and Lucy stood in the center of the room, not sure where to go. Erika stood up and yanked Lucy next to her. “Explain,” she said, with wide eyes. 

“You know how Rose disappeared for a year?” 

“She ran away with a man, right?” Lucy nodded. Rose’s eyes widened and she opened her mouth to defend herself, but no words came. Again they died on her tongue. Shareen wasn’t paying attention. She kept glancing at her phone. Rose hit her lightly.

“Not the time,” she whispered. Shareen slipped her phone back in her pockets and glared at Rose slightly.

“It wasn’t exactly like that. She ran away with a man, yes, but she ran away with that man because he had a machine that traveled in time.” Erika’s mouth hit the floor. 

“No,” she said. “Only a few people have time travel, you’d have to be… an alien.” She stared at Rose. Her eyes were wide as saucers. “Are you an alien? Like Superman?” Rose shook her head. 

“Human, but the previous owner was alien,” Rose said, sighing. “He left it to me.” Erika turned back to Lucy.

“How long has it been for you?” Her voice quivered and she reached out to touch Lucy’s face before retracting her hand. She looked down at her hips with a red face. Lucy stared down at Erika. Her eyes were glassy. 

“8 years, Erika. It’s been 8 years since I’ve seen you.” Erika started to shake and she pulled Lucy into a hug. It was tight, Lucy’s arms were straight and her fingers were pressed into the bed. 

“You’re 26?” She asked, her voice small. Rose wanted to comfort Erika. Shareen had to go through the shock of time travel once. Her mother went through it as well. She had never been in Erika’s position before. Rose looked at Shareen. Her eyes flickered from Erika and Lucy. Saying with her eyes, ‘help them’ and Shareen seemed to get the message. She walked over to Erika, but stopped when Lucy asked Erika a question. 

“You believe me?” 

“How is that even a question? It’s you! Why would you lie to me? You’re Aarti Chandra Gupta, my best friend!” She used her full name and Rose watched a tear fall out of Lucy’s eye. She wiped it away from her palm and looked away. 

“I missed you,” she said, barely louder than a whisper. “So much.”

“You didn’t,” Erika sucked in a breath. “Find another best friend?” Rose could’ve sworn Lucy blushed, for just a second. 

“Some short friendships here and there, but  _ there was never anyone else.” _ Rose had the wind knocked out of her. She leaned against Erika’s bedroom door and raised her hand to her mouth to keep her from gasping. She couldn’t help but remember her mum meeting the alternate universe Pete for the first time. Martha didn’t seem to pick up on anything and neither did Shareen, but Rose knew there was some significance behind the words they were saying. She tried not to make any sound, but it was getting hard. 

“That was silly, I told you when you left that you shouldn’t let yourself be alone.” Lucy snorted. 

“Ok, it wasn’t necessarily my doing, I started school pretty soon after I moved, had to spend a lot of time studying. It was hard enough going into the STEM field in the 2000s, finding friends was practically impossible.” Lucy blushed for real now. “None of them would’ve been you anyway.” 

“You’ve been running yourself ragged, I can tell,” Erika said. “When was the last time you got a good night’s sleep.”

“There’s no night on the TARDIS so I don’t know,” she said, with a short laugh. 

“The TARDIS?”

“It’s our ship,” Rose interjected. “There’s no day and night cycle, we just kind of sleep after an adventure then wake up when we’re ready.”

“Adventure?” Rose smiled widely, trying to give off the most friendly vibes she could. 

“It’s a time machine, what else would we do?” She turned to Lucy. Rose felt her left water and she remembered what was coming next. It had been a couple of months since she had had a “Time Shrapnel Attack” as they liked to call it. They considered what happened to Emeraude 3 one of the attacks and also the following day. Since Loup was her Time Shrapnel, Rose figured that made the most sense. 

“So when you moved, you moved time periods? That’s why I couldn’t contact you?” Lucy nodded. 

“We might be able to text now, with my superphone and everything, but we don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Erika cocked her head to the side. 

“Why wouldn’t I?” 

“It’s been eight years, and there’s still a lot you don’t know about me.”

“Like what?” Rose marched over and grabbed Shareen and Martha. 

“We’ll just be back at the TARDIS!” She said, quickly. “Um, Lucy?” Lucy turned to Rose with a deer caught in the headlights expression. “I’m having uh,” she pointed to her left eye. “An issue. Come find us when you’re done.” The trio ran out of the house as quickly as they could.

“Do we need to get you to the sickbay?” Martha asked. Rose shook her head. 

“I’ll be fine, I really just wanted to give them a moment alone.” Rose wiped away one of the tears that fell from her eyes and unlocked the door to the TARDIS. She felt the Time Shrapnel push at her head and she silently cursed Loup. She took a deep breath and waited for the knowledge to flood her mind. Images and coordinates popped into her head and she gasped. She pulled on Shareen’s arm. “Call Lucy, we need to go now! We have to leave her in 2019.”

“Why are we leaving her?” Martha cocked her head to the side. Her mouth stayed open at the end of her sentence. Waves of pain shot through Rose’s body. She shook her head and grit her teeth.

“It involves,” Rose took a break and grimaced. “Her past, we have to avoid a paradox.” She swallowed hard and tried to catch her breath. The glowing eye was just an inconvenience at this point. Martha quickly called Lucy and relayed the information. Rose ran to the console and began inputting the necessary data to fly.

“Why can’t this wait?” Shareen asked, not in a rude way, but she was generally curious. 

“If we don’t do it now we’ll never get the chance and Lucy will be in danger.” Rose took a heavy breath. “We have to go now. That’s how we save her.” The TARDIS went into the Vortex and they were off to the day after Chandra received his baby. The TARDIS landed in the living room and Rose popped out, glowing eye and all. Chandra was sitting on his sofa with Lucy in his lap and a woman sitting next to him. She must’ve been Dipa. He stood up.

“It’s you!” Rose nodded and she motioned for him to enter the TARDIS.

“Come with me if you want to live, though I fear your life won’t ever be the same.”

* * *

Lucy nearly dropped her mobile on the ground when she realized what was going to happen. Rose was going to move her through time. It was all in the same day. She couldn’t help but get emotional. A tear fell from her eyes and onto her shirt. 

“What’s wrong?” Erika asked. Lucy could barely look at her. She was really in front of her. It hadn’t been that long for her. She just wanted to take Erika into the TARDIS and never let her leave, but she couldn’t. Erika had her own life to live first. The girl needed to get her music theory degree. 

“They’re doing it,” Lucy said. “They’re transporting me through time. They’re going to pick up my dad and step mum. She was just a friend at the time, but she went with him anyway. They pretended to be married and raised me in the early 80s.” Lucy sighed sadly and expelled a breath through her nose. “God, imagine raising a half-alien as friends.”

“You’re really an alien?” Erika asked, her voice small. She pressed her hands together. 

“You believed me about time travel and not the alien bit?”

“It’s not that! You just, don’t look alien.” She blushed. She averted her eyes back to the flag in her room. 

“Well, my real mother was a humanoid, so I wouldn’t look all that alien even if I was a full alien.” Just then, Erika’s lips were on Lucy’s. Her eyes were wide and she paused in her shock. She pulled away. 

“Do you not want me anym–” Lucy pulled Erika into an embrace. Erika gripped tight onto the back of Lucy’s head. The second kiss lasted only a few seconds, but it dissolved the tension. Erika started to burst into light giggles. “You feel human to me, are you sure you’re alien?” Lucy’s eyes shifted back and forth. It had been so long since she had seen her.

“I’m pretty sure, considering my birth mother sucked a man’s blood out through a straw.” Erika gaped and backed away just slightly. Lucy chose not to take offense to her reaction. “Relax, I’m not going to suck your blood. If I was going to, then I would’ve done it when we first met.” Erika’s eyes filled up with tears. 

“God, I missed you so much.” Lucy wiped one of the tears away with her thumb. 

“I missed you more,” she said with a snort. “You try being a lesbian in STEM in the year 2000.” 

“It’s not a competition,” Erika teased. “As much as I would love to do more of, well, anything really, we can’t. You had to gain eight years on me, and if Hanna or Henri walk in I’ll have to move back to Finland to escape the judgment.” 

“We can talk, I’ve got a little while until they come back, do you wanna hear about how I helped Rose power an entire city in the year 5,000,000,000?” Erika smiled, her eyes alight with wonder. 

“Tell me more.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't write kissing! I feel so uncomfortable lol. I'm absolutely terrible at it. This is why the first Doctor Who fic I decided to write involved the main couple being separated for most of the story. 
> 
> Anyway, I've decided to put the story in hiatus after the next couple of chapters. We sadly won't get to Shareen's Choice, but I think you guys will enjoy that Lucy finally gets to come out. 
> 
> I'm back to my old tricks, I have so many fics that I want to write. I've got that one Kid!fic I put on my blog that I want to work on, then I have my girl in the fireplace fixit I want to work on. Then there's my bewitched AU! (Witch Rose and scientist Ten) And a secret project I haven't told anyone on social media about. (It's a Sarah Jane Adventures crossover/reunion fic lol).
> 
> I'm sorry for not being able to work on this fic. It's just been difficult. I promise I'm coming back to this fic. I'm not abandoning it, I'm just taking another break. However, I do think I'm going to have to abandon the sequels which does bum me out a little bit because I had some good plans for Jenny and some good plans for River as well. 
> 
> This is my first DW fic ever and it will always be special to me, I just, I've lost my spark. But I won't abandon it! The Doctor and Rose will be reunited. I promise.


	24. Lucy's Past, Rose's Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finally see Lucy's move throughout time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe I forgot to update last week. I am so sorry. I didn't mean to go on a hiatus that soon. Also language warning.

Rose should’ve expected that Chandra wouldn’t have just run into the TARDIS because she told him too. He was a doctor, with a brain. This wasn’t the Chandra Gupta who did her heart surgery. This was a man who had only met her once. To drop off his baby. His brown eyes were full of calculating emotions. He had thick black hair but he kept it neat like Lucy did. 

“Who even are you?” He asked. 

Rose swallowed, she was becoming a bit too much like the Doctor. “My name is Rose Tyler, and I’m here to help you.”

“Help me with what?” He asked. The woman’s large dark eyes flickered between Rose and Chandra back and forth.

“I wasn’t exaggerating when I said you have to come with me if you want to live.”

“First you bring me a child that you swear is mine and then you just swan off with no explanation! And now you’re back saying my life is in danger? What is that box?”

“Do you not believe the baby is yours?” Rose asked. Rose sighed and used her hand to motion for him to walk into the TARDIS. “I can prove it. You just need to come inside.” Chandra held Lucy close to his chest. 

“He can’t go inside, he won’t fit!” The woman said. 

“Dipa,” Chandra said. “Take her. Keep Aarti safe.” Dipa’s eyes widened and she took Aarti from Chandra and held her close. “Now you know I’ll come back.” Chandra walked into the TARDIS. His eyes widened. “It’s bigger on the inside.” 

“Yup,” Rose said, with a small smile. Martha had a similar reaction. Donna’s reaction wasn’t one of joy, so Rose couldn’t enjoy it. Of course, this was still important and Rose had to keep Chandra Gupta alive. The timelines were at stake. Her own life was at stake. Martha and Shareen were hanging back. Shareen gave him a nod. “You believed me when I said she was your baby, how long ago?”

“Two days.”

“Aww, and you named her? How’d your family take it?” 

Chandra looked a little confused. “Not well, but Aarti was very cute. It could've been worse though. If they kick me out of the house I’ll still have a job. Dipa offered to let me room with her.” 

Rose smiled. She hadn’t met Dipa since the few times she had met Chandra in the future when he was acting as her Doctor. “Well, I’m afraid it’s going to get a lot more complicated from here.”

“What do you mean?” He asked. 

Rose led him to the sickbay. She pulled a screen on the computer and scanned Chandra with the sonic. “You’re aware the mother of your child is an alien, right?”

“Of course,” he said, embarrassed. “I noticed that before she tried to suck my blood.” A bit of sarcasm laced his tone. 

“Look,” Rose said. “I have a scan of your DNA right here and I have a scan of her’s.” Rose pointed to the sequencing. “If you’ll see here, you’ll find that you share 50 percent of your DNA, which is typical for a parent-child relationship.” Chandra nodded. “Listen I know this must be freaky, but unfortunately it’s about to get a whole lot worse.”

“What do you mean?” 

Rose looked to the ground and sighed. “Something’s coming. Something bad, and we  need to get you and your daughter out of here.”

“What’s coming?”

“I don’t know,” Rose said. 

“Then how do you know what’s coming?” 

Rose leaned against the wall. “I can feel it. The timelines are converging on one event and it’s coming.” Rose didn’t add her Time Shrapnel told her where she needed to send him and baby Lucy. “I couldn’t feel it before, but my powers are getting stronger.”

“Powers?” 

Rose turned to Chandra. “You’re not the only one who had a few alien encounters. Why do you think this ship is bigger on the inside? The point is, you’re in danger. I have to save you and your daughter. I need you to trust me. Can you do that?” 

“I barely even know who you are!” 

Rose sighed and she tried to think of an explanation as to why he should really trust her. “There’s a reason this police box is bigger on the inside. It’s another dimension and it travels in time. That’s how I know you. I know you, Chandra, and your daughter.” His eyes widened. “She goes by an alias, but she travels with me. You saved my life as well. You did my pacemaker. If the both of you die, then I die as well.” Rose looked up. “Well, maybe time will compensate, but the course of my life will change. Time could even be torn apart. That can’t happen. So please, let me help you.”

Chandra sighed. “What do you think’s going to happen?” he asked, still skeptical.

“Someone’s going to come after me. Then they’re going to kill you and your daughter before you both can help me. Time isn’t linear, it isn't just cause and effect. Honestly, it’s too complicated for me to even explain it. I love traveling with Lucy, she’s a very good friend, so I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

“Lucy?” 

“It’s the alias she takes. Has the same meaning as Aarti, or something close to it.” Rose gave Chandra a smile. “Do you believe me?”

“Will this protect my daughter?” He asked. “Really, will it protect her?” 

“Yes.”

“Then my choice is made. She’s my daughter and I’ll do anything for her.” 

Rose smiled at his dedication. More of the good man she met was shining through. He was very much on his way to becoming the Dr. Gupta she knew. “Good, let’s go get Lucy because I need to set you up somewhere no one will find you.”

“Where is that?”

“1983.”

* * *

Dipa held onto Aarti as safely as she could. The phone box just appeared in the sitting room of Chandra’s parent's house. She had heard of aliens before, but this was… She couldn’t believe it. She had gotten a glimpse of the phone box’s interior and it was bigger than it was on the inside than the outside. She had seen aliens, her friends were on the roof during Christmas, but she had never seen anything directly. Soon Chandra and the blonde girl came out. He was a little pale and he walked over and took Aarti from her. 

“What’s wrong?” Dipa asked. 

“We have to go,” he said. “Aarti and I have to go.”

“What do you mean?” Dipa’s eyes widened and she looked at the blonde girl's. She looked apologetic, but only a little bit. 

“Something’s coming, and it’s coming soon, if Aarti and I don’t leave, a lot of people could get hurt.”

“Why? How do you know?”

“Aarti’s mother is an alien, Dipa.” Dipa’s throat went dry. “I wasn’t injured in a car accident. I was attacked by an alien. This baby’s mother.” Chandra rocked Aarti back and forth. 

“It’s true, she was the reason that Royal Hope Hospital was sent to the Moon. She tried to kill half the planet, but she’s gone now. Don’t worry about it. Don’t worry about it.”

“W-what?” Dipa thought she was going crazy. 

“We need to go, as soon as we can. Pack a bag, Chandra. I’ve got contacts where we’re going. Important people that can help me help you.” 

Chandra turned to the blonde woman. “Let me say goodbye to my Nani, if I tell her then she can tell everyone else.” Chandra gave Aarti to the blonde woman and went upstairs where his grandmother was. 

“Hello Lucy,” the blonde woman said. She smiled down at her. 

“Her name is Aarti,” Dipa said. 

“It’s not the name I know her as.” Aarti cooed and the woman laughed. “I wonder if she remembers me. She’s half plasmavore, so I don’t know if human development is applicable to her.” 

Dipa’s head started to spin. She started counting her breaths, trying to make sure she didn’t forget to breathe. “What is going on?” She asked, quietly.

“If it makes you feel better,” the woman said. “Lucy spoke very kindly about you.”

“She did?” Dipa started shaking. 

“It’s a time machine,” she said. “This box. It’s a time machine. I’m taking him to the past. You could come with, if you like.”

“What?” 

“Chandra’s going to be very lonely in the past and Lucy’s going to be a handful. He could use a friend.” 

“Am I going to see him again if I don’t?” Dipa and Chandra had been close friends ever since they were 19. She never thought this was where their friendship would go. This couldn’t be real. This couldn’t be happening. Her best friend was going to the past. The past? This was crazy. 

“I don’t know,” she said. “I really don’t.” 

Then Dipa knew her choice was made. “I’ll have to do something about my landlord.”

“Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll take care of it.” 

Chandra came down the stairs, bag in hand. He nodded at the blonde woman. “I’m ready to go.”

“And I’m coming too,” Dipa said. 

“What?” Chandra cocked his head. 

“I’m not leaving you. Not now, not after all these years.” 

“Dipa, I don’t know if I’m coming back. You might never see your family again. What about your job?”

“I’ll find a new one! You can’t do this alone. You’re going to raise an alien baby in the past. Do you know how ridiculous that sounds? I’ve known you for 10 years. 10! I’m not going to let you do this alone. Ok? Got it?” Chandra was silent. “Good.” Dipa marched into the phone box and nearly fainted when she realized how huge it actually was. The blonde woman gave Aarti back to Chandra and all of them walked into the ship. Dipa realized two women were standing near a seat talking. They turned over and waved at her. Dipa let out a squeak. 

“It’s called the TARDIS, the black-haired one is Martha, and the other one is Shareen. Oh! And I’m Rose, I don’t think I mentioned that.” Aarti started to cry and Chandra tried to rub her back and get her to calm down. Rose ran to the center of the room and started to flip levers. They started to move. The room started to shake, but not drastically. Dipa didn’t fear her safety any more than she did previously. 

“Where are we going?” Shareen asked. 

“We met 11-year-old Lucy in 1994, so?” She asked Shareen. 

“1983?” 

“Bingo!

* * *

Chandra watched Dipa very carefully. Chandra knew he would do anything to protect his daughter. That was a given. She had the same smile as his sister. She was his, he would’ve hated to give her up if it turned out that she wasn’t his daughter. He owed his daughter a good life and support. She was an alien hybrid and he was determined to keep her from going off the beaten path and on the side of the plasmavores. Well, he wasn’t sure if all plasmavores were evil. He cared for Dipa very much and felt like he had known her forever, but why would she join him in the past? What did Rose say to her? She repeatedly called Aarti Lucy, though. He wasn’t a fan of that. He may have moved to England, the country that oppressed him and his people for nearly two centuries, but he wasn’t about to anglify everything in his life. Aarti’s cries dulled slightly when they landed. 

Rose took a deep breath. “Ready for your new life?” She asked. 

Chandra shook his head. “I still believe this is going to be a dream that I’ll wake up from in the morning.”

“You had a child with an alien,” Rose said gently. “Is time travel really that far off from the human imagination?”

“Are you not human?” Chandra asked, horrified.

“No, I am. I was born to human parents and everything,” she replied. “I’m just used to this stuff by now.” She smiled. “I’ve been doing this since I was 19.”

The same age he was when he met Dipa.

“Let me go and see that I got the right place.” Rose walked over to the doors and passed him. She poked her head out the door and left the TARDIS.

* * *

Rose found she had gotten very close to where she wanted to go. She wanted to be inside the Brigadier’s office, but instead, she landed outside UNIT headquarters. She was close and the Doctor had only just UNIT a few years ago, or was he still working with them? She wasn’t sure. God, time travel was so confusing. She surprised herself by barely having any headaches about it. Some in the beginning, but nothing really since she had healed up her mind in the zero room. A few members of UNIT greeted her. Well, greeted was the nice way of putting it.

“Oh, we thought you were the Doctor.”

“No, I’m not the Doctor,” Rose said, putting some force on the words. “I am as good as you’re going to get, but I’m not here for you. Where is Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart?” 

“His office,” one of them said. 

“Well, you can take me to his office then.” Rose felt like she needed to show strength. If she showed an authoritative presence then people would give her some respect. It was hard being a female time traveler, but at least she had met the Brigadier before. They led her to the Brigadier. The door swung open and Rose walked in.

“Miss Tyler,” he said, with a confused look on his face. “What are you doing here?”

“I need your help.”

“Where’s the Doctor?” He asked. 

Rose sighed. “It’s a long story we don’t have time for, but since you’re his friend I’ll give you the short version. He’s stuck in a parallel world and I’m looking after the TARDIS. I guess that was pretty simple.”

“He is?” The Brigadier’s face fell. Rose felt bad for him. He had known the Doctor longer than she had and he didn’t know her enough yet. 

“He’s alive, but you know how he gets without the TARDIS. He told me, before the walls between universes closed, that he would look for a way back. And the universe probably won’t stand him being gone forever. Who knows? He may come back.” Rose wasn’t exactly sure of what she was saying but she needed the Brigadier to help her. 

She hated to think it, but as much as she loved the Doctor and wanted him back in the TARDIS where he belonged, the main reason she wanted the Doctor back was because it meant her time as She Who Holds the Future in Her Hands would be over. She could only be She Who Holds the Future in Her Hands if there were no more Time Lords left to keep the Web of Time from falling apart completely. She would be free of her burdens if he could come back. He could probably remove the Time Shrapnel as well. She loved traveling around the universe and she would’ve been fine with the loss of her humanity if it had been her choice. A lot of this she would have agreed to  _ if it had been her choice _ . The fact that everything was decided for her was what made this the hardest. She wanted to save the Doctor and the Earth.

“What do you need help with, Miss Tyler? Rescuing him? I’m sure we could find some way to.” He stopped when Rose shook her head. 

“The Doctor isn’t with you and you have no way to contact him. Even if he was here, he shouldn’t know about his own future.” She sighed. “Trust me, if there was a feasible way to get him back, I would take it in a heartbeat. The real thing I need is,” Rose struggled to find the words. “Well, I have three people that need to be resettled in this time period. Something’s coming and no one will find them here. Can you help me?”

“Of course,” the Brigadier said seriously. 

“Follow me, back to the TARDIS.”

The Brigadier followed Rose and when they made it back to the TARDIS, Rose opened the door and let Lucy, Chandra, and Dipa out. 

“These are my friends,” Rose said. “Chandra is the man, he’s a doctor, Aarti is his daughter, and I don’t know what Dipa does. I just met her today.” She turned to the three people she had brought. “The Brigadier will take care of you. He’s a trustworthy man. I should go, but feel free to call the number I gave you. Hopefully, it’ll still work.” Rose walked back into the TARDIS. “I’ll see you guys soon.” She remembered the coordinates of the next pickup and drop off. Originally Rose was supposed to pick them up in 1994 and take them to their next location, but she was too hurt and distressed from the Green Masques to do anything. Instead, she was supposed to pick up the Lucy she met on Christmas Eve. She felt bad for skipping Lucy’s childhood entirely, but she could go back and see her later. Rose had a time machine after all. She set the date to the night of the last time she saw her. The night of Lazarus. 

“Are you ok?” Shareen asked. 

Rose swallowed. “I haven’t been back to that time period since that night. I’ve been a few months after, but never that night.” A tear fell from her eye. A real tear and not something that came from Time Shrapnel. She was shaking and tried to steady herself. “I killed a man,” Rose said quietly. 

“You saved people from someone who used to be a man,” Martha told her. “He lost his humanity when he decided to eat people.”

“Killing him was the start of me losing  _ my _ humanity.” If they had never gone to Lazarus’ party Rose wouldn’t have tapped into her Time Shrapnel and ruined her body. However, then people would’ve died. More people, Rose corrected. Shareen walked over to Rose and gave her a hug. 

“You’re human where it counts.” 

“What if I’m not?” Rose didn’t mean to say it out loud, but she couldn’t stop herself. “I destroyed a planet,” Rose said, louder than she meant to. “I destroyed a  _ fucking _ planet and I’m carrying on like it was nothing! How can any human do that!?” 

Shareen flinched and moved back. She let go of Rose and Rose felt terrible. “The morality of that situation is always going to be grey, Rose,” Shareen said. “You always think about the lives you took, but never about the lives you’ve saved. Didn’t the Doctor have to destroy his own planet?” 

“Yes,” Rose replied. She looked down at her feet, trying to avoid her friend’s gazes

“And you don’t think he was a bad person or a monster,” Martha added. “Right?” 

Rose shook her head. “No, I don’t.”

“It’s really similar,” Shareen said. “You have to think about the lives that were saved and not the lives that were lost because if you don’t it will destroy you.” 

“And the world needs you, Rose. The universe literally can’t function without you.” 

“Thanks, Shareen, thanks Martha, let’s get on with it. Let’s go get the Lucy who delivered you food.” 

* * *

Lucy sat at home drinking some masala chai, her father made it the best. She knew she’d be leaving soon, she could feel it. The time she spent in different years was shortening each time. The last time Rose hadn’t been there and Lucy was too grateful for the fact that Rose was alive to admit that it hurt. Lucy knew it wasn’t Rose’s fault and she was incredibly sad about the event. At the time, however, Lucy was 11. She wasn’t able to comprehend the complexity of what had happened to Rose. She still didn’t really know. The Doctor had been perfectly kind when he resettled them in the year 2002. Lucy regretted that she couldn’t have been nicer to him at the time. Lucy’s little brother came bounding down the stairs. Her stepmother (Mum, she corrected) came running after him. Soon a familiar wheezing sound came from the sitting room. 

Lucy’s eyes widened and her mum pulled her little brother back. Soon the TARDIS materialized in the sitting room and Lucy ran to meet them. Rose came out of the door and before Lucy could think better of it, she swept her up in a hug. 

“Hello,” Rose said, quietly.

“Are we going now?” Lucy asked. 

“Something’s coming, something’s coming very soon, and I need to protect you.”

“So yes?” 

Rose rubbed Lucy’s back. “Yes.” She looked at Dipa. “Hello, how are you Dipa?” 

“Well enough, I suppose.” 

Rose smiled widely and Lucy reluctantly let her go. “Is this your son?” She asked, delighted. She kneeled down and waved at him. 

“You've already met him, Rose.” 

Lucy’s brother ran into Rose and hugged her. Rose’s eyes widened and shifted from Lucy to Dipa back and forth. 

“Not on my end, unfortunately.” She pulled back and ruffled the boy’s hair. “Though I’m sure we’re very good friends.” 

“His name is Rajesh,” Lucy whispered. Rose stiffened slightly. She tried to play it off like it didn’t happen, but Lucy noticed. 

“Chandra’s at work,” Dipa said. “You’ll have to wait.” 

Rose smiled and stood up. She walked over to the TARDIS and knocked on the door. “Time machine, remember?” 

“Oh, you don’t want to stay for tea until Chandra gets home, it should only take an hour.” 

Lucy looked over to Rose and pouted slightly. ‘Please,’ she mouthed. 

Rose sighed. “I’ll stay, but I’ve got two friends waiting in the TARDIS, you wouldn’t happen to have a couple of extra mugs, would you?” 

Dipa snorted. “Please, we’ve got plenty.” 

Rose poked her head into the TARDIS and Shareen and Martha came out. She could tell it had been early in the timeline for Rose. Shareen and Martha had looked uncomfortable. Shareen and Martha, (from Lucy’s perspective), had been around since the day she was born. While she didn’t know Shareen as well as she would like, she was still a figure in her life. Shareen was the one who held her when they thought Rose had died five years ago. 

“We’re sorry for intruding,” Martha said. 

“Oh, nonsense. You’re practically family.” 

Martha looked a little uncomfortable and Lucy felt bad for her. Dipa barely understood that their timelines weren’t synchronized. She could handle a lot of things, but some were too much. 

“Would you like some masala chai or would you prefer regular English tea?” Lucy asked. 

“We’ll take whatever you want,” Shareen said. “We feel bad enough having to uproot your family again.”

“We’re used to it by now,” Dipa said. “It will be Rajesh’s first, but he hasn't started school yet, so it will be easier.” 

Rose turned to Lucy, which surprised her since at Rose’s point in the timeline they didn’t actually know each other very well yet. While Rose was familiar with Lucy, she wasn’t exactly Auntie Rose yet. That wouldn’t come until after. “Can I speak with you somewhere?” Rose said, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Somewhere private?” Lucy’s face started to burn. Had something happened that made her angry? 

“Uh, yeah,” Lucy said. She pointed in the opposite direction of her family with both pointer fingers, moving them in a circle. “Mummy, we’ll be in my room. Hope you don’t mind.” 

“It’s fine sweetie, just try not to take so long.” 

“Of course, I just want to ask her a few things.” Rose followed Lucy to her bedroom and Lucy shut the door behind her. 

“What did you want to talk about?” Lucy asked, sitting down on her plain bed. She grabbed a stuffed animal and set it in her lap. It was a dinosaur with an outfit very similar to the Brigadier’s outfit when he worked for UNIT. 

“Are you alright?” She asked, without hesitation. “Being in this time period? Because I know.” 

Lucy knew exactly what Rose was talking about. She started to feel sick. She knew? How did she know? No one knew, not her parents, not her friends. No one. 

“Being in a time where not everything is accepted must be hard, and I know that technically this goes against the timeline we currently have, but I can send you to a more accepting time. Being half-alien is already, I don’t want to make it any harder on you.” 

“How did you find out?” Lucy asked, gripping her dinosaur tightly. 

Rose sat down next to Lucy. She smiled at her, trying to reassure her that it was ok. “There was a girl, and how you looked at her and interacted with her reminded me of my parents. The words you both used couldn’t be completely platonic. They just couldn’t.”

“Do you know if my dad accepts me?” Lucy asked, before she lost her nerve. “In the future? I’m already half-alien which is hard enough, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle it if he can’t accept me.” 

Rose sighed. “I don’t know, you’ve never talked badly about your parents before though.”

It didn’t answer her question, what if she just never came out to them? “You’d be willing to take me even further than I’m supposed to be?” 

Rose nodded. “Yes, of course.” Rose stood up and started walking back and forth. “Long time ago, I had these two friends, Mook and Patrice. Well, they were Mickey’s friends, but I knew them too. The both of them were madly in love with each other, but came from less than accepting families and could be themselves when they hung out with Mickey. I wished I could do something for them at the time, and I couldn’t, but I can do something about it now.” 

Lucy thought about Rose’s offer. “I had a girlfriend?” She asked. 

Rose looked up, her right cheek twitched in thought. “I’m not 100% sure about it, but you both definitely had feelings for each other.”

“And you want to erase that?” 

“No!” Rose shouted. “Well, kind of I guess. Jeez, I didn’t think of it like that.”

“What did she look like?” Lucy asked. 

“Blonde, cute, completely infatuated with you. Eloquent speaker.” She looked down at Lucy with her brown eyes wide with concern. “You want to keep her, don’t you?”

“Well,” Lucy said, letting go of the dinosaur. “I haven’t even met her yet.” 

“Ok, but I would’ve felt like I wouldn’t have helped you at all if I didn’t ask.”

Lucy heard the door open and her father announced his presence. She and Rose both looked at each other, he was home early. Time to go. 

“Am I going to meet this girl next?”

“I think so,” Rose said. “Unfortunately, I’m going to have to change your memories of this conversation, I can’t have you accidentally messing up your meeting with her by knowing the future, can I?’

“But!”

“I’m not going to remove them, Lucy. Just alter them until the time is right. Instead, you’ll just think I asked you about school. Ok?”

Lucy was a little nervous, this was a Rose who had only recently been through a lot. She didn’t have the maturity she had when she met with Lucy when she was little. Still, this was Rose Tyler. Her Auntie Rose, even if she was a young version of her. “Fine,” Lucy said with a sigh. “I trust you.”

* * *

Lucy regaled Erika with stories from her travels. One time Erika literally laughed out loud because she thought it was so ridiculous.

“I’m sorry you cannot have gone to the planet where the Easter Bunny came from, absolutely impossible.”

“It’s true!” Lucy protested. “It was one of the adventures we went on after Rose healed up.” The TARDIS materialized in Erika’s room and Lucy watched as Erika almost died of shock.

Rose walked out with a wide smile on her face. She threw a familiar dinosaur plushie at her. Lucy grabbed it in midair. 

“Steggy!”

“Isn’t that a T-Rex?”

“2-year-old me didn’t know the difference.” 

“I hate to break up this conversation,” Rose said. “But we really should be getting back.” Lucy stood up. 

“You’re right Rose.”

“That’s Auntie Rose to you,” she said with a smirk. 

Lucy rolled her eyes and wrote down her phone number. She handed the piece of paper over to Erika. “Call me, I’ve got a superphone. We should be able to chat.” She gave Erika a quick hug and made her way back to the TARDIS. She held back tears since she knew if she didn’t leave now she wouldn’t be able to leave at all. 

“Goodbye!” Erika shouted from her room.

“Goodbye,” Lucy whispered back. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm sorry for missing last week's update. it just slipped my mind almost completely. I was at school in person and had a lot to deal with. I've still been posting fanfiction, I posted two one-shots this month. This fic just specifically slipped my mind. How did you like it? Thoughts? 
> 
> Again, really sorry!


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